KUALA LUMPUR: There was no racial discrimination against individuals who died in lockups under the custody of Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
He said the matter is proven with the low percentage of deaths at 0.015 per cent out of 63,773 detainees registered from January to September this year or 10 deaths.
The percentage for last year was also low at 0.014 per cent or 13 deaths out of 91,246 detainees in RMP lockups.
"I wish to clarify the matter so that it would not be made another racial issue as raised in the past.
"Our emotions made us get carried away until it became something big in our country," he said when winding up the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) at Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the Home Ministry (KDN) is now in the process of improving the management of RMP lockups by appointing private clinics so that the level of health of detainees is established before entering the lockup.
Other efforts included the installation of closed- circuit television (cctv) at all police lockups which is expected to be completed by the end of the year with the project divided into five zones, north, south, east, Sabah and Sarawak, he said.
Hamzah's reminder that Members of Parliament refrained from making death cases in lockup as a racial issue however sparked off a tense situation when several opposition MPs stood up to intervene, seeking additional time, written answers and further explanation on the issue.
Among those who stood up were P. Kasthuriraani (PH-Batu Kawan), M. Karupaiya (PH-Padang Serai), P. Prabkaran (PH-Batu) and Maria Chin Abdulllah (PH-Petaling Jaya).
The situation caused Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun to warn all MPs to adhere and respect the stipulated time.
"The time allocated for (minister's winding up) is over, understand? This is not the time to debate some more...this is the time for the minister to reply and the minister has replied.
"Honourable Members, I noticed that almost 90 per cent of you do not abide by the standing orders yet I still allow Members to intervene...now the time for Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister is not enough, with 10 minutes left. So please follow the rules," he said.
The first day of 12MP winding up saw 11 ministries completing winding matters raised by MPs during four days of debate while 12 more ministries are scheduled to wind up the debate tomorrow.
The Dewan Rakyat will sit again tomorrow.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Tue Oct 05 2021

There was no racial discrimination against individuals who died in lockups under the custody of Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin. - BERNAMA photo

China promises Latin America 'trustworthy' ties as Trump lays out demands
Beijing looks to improve its foothold in a region historically under the US sphere of influence.

Major risks loom as Trump upends US Russia policy
Washington's approach changes dramatically with the initial meeting between US and Russian negotiators.

Pope Francis has double pneumonia, complicating his treatment, Vatican says
Doctors say a polymicrobial infection occurs when two or more micro-organisms are involved and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

Philippines' VP Duterte challenges impeachment before Supreme Court
Sara Duterte makes her first legal move to fight the case that could lead to her removal and lead to a lifetime ban from public office.

Motor racing - Hamilton steps out in red at unprecedented 10 team F1 launch
I feel so full of life, so much energy, because everything's new and I'm just focused on what is up ahead, Hamilton says.

UAE tells US' Rubio it rejects displacement of Palestinians
The UAE's stance matters as its one of four Arab nations that normalised ties with Israel during Trumps first term.

Taylor Swift wins recording artist of the year crown for fifth time
The megastar's "The Tortured Poets Department" record also topped four IFPI charts, the IFPI says.

More than $50 billion needed to rebuild Gaza, World Bank joint assessment says
Years of rebuilding work, including clearing unexploded ordinance and millions of tonnes of rubble lie ahead.

Malaysia’s AI data centre development to be impacted by recent US restrictions - Liew
Liew Chin Tong says the restrictions would not affect the development of the domestic data centre ecosystem as a whole.

Sweden's top court rejects Greta Thunberg lawsuit on climate action
A court cannot decide that the parliament or the government must take any specific action, the Supreme Court says.
![[COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream [COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-10/51728873693_EMIR.jpg)
[COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream
The Gaza plan is dangerous and counter-productive as it's merely another recipe for regional instability.

Sivasangari eyes new career-high in world rankings
After climbing to a career-best world number seven, national women's squash ace S. Sivasangari is determined to keep rising.

Outburst against Steven Sim: DAP will probe if there's a complaint - Loke
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke says the disciplinary committee has not received any reports related to the incident so far.

US judge will not block Elon Musk from firing federal workers, accessing data
The case raises questions about Musk's apparent unchecked authority as a top deputy to President Donald Trump.

Dozens of false killer whales stranded on remote Australian beach
Rescue crews trying to save the majority of the large dolphins that survived the ordeal, according to authorities.

Trump restricts AP access over Gulf of Mexico issue
The AP, citing editorial standards, says it would continue to use the gulf's established name.

China to fly back 200 nationals rescued from Myanmar scam centres, Thai official says
This is part of a multinational effort to crack down on illegal online operations run from the region.

Somber Tiger Woods back in action in TGL loss to New York GC
Tiger Woods makes his first start since the death of his mother when he competed in a TGL match at Palm Beach Gardens.

Brazil's ex-President Bolsonaro charged in alleged coup plot
A total of 34 people were charged, including several military officials.

Trump and Musk target tax enforcers, rocket scientists, bank regulators for job cuts
Concerns grow over transparency, oversight, and Musk's influence on government operations.