Sabotage of 2nd autopsy: Liow insists on police approval & UH declines

ARCHIVES 2013

By admin-s On Feb 7, 2013

Police have already refused to give written instruction to the hospital for the 2nd autopsy despite repeated requests from the family. Instead, the police have only said that they have no objections to the second autopsy; whereas the government hospitals will not carry out a 2nd autopsy unless there are written instructions from police. A mere letter of no objection by police is inadequate.

N. Surendran, Latheefa Koya

We refer to the statement by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, published in the media today, that the Ministry has not approved or disapproved of the 2nd autopsy upon C.Sugumar, and that approval must come from the police. This is despite a letter issued to the family on 6/2/13 that the Ministry will assist and facilitate the 2nd autopsy by Dr Porntip Rojanasunan. Consistent with Liow’s position, the family has received a letter today, 7/2/13, from University Hospital refusing the request for the 2nd autopsy unless there is written instruction from the police. This is shocking and disappointing, and blatant sabotage of attempts to get the 2nd autopsy done.

Liow, as a representative of the Cabinet and Government, is putting further obstacles to the 2nd autopsy by insisting that the approval must come from the police. Police have already refused to give written instruction to the hospital for the 2nd autopsy despite repeated requests from the family. Instead, the police have only said that they have no objections to the second autopsy; whereas the government hospitals will not carry out a 2nd autopsy unless there are written instructions from police. A mere letter of no objection by police is inadequate. The refusal letter from UH received today proves this.

It is entirely within the powers of the Health Minister to issue the order to any government hospital to carry out the 2nd autopsy. Why is Minister Liow Tiong Lai still refusing to do so? There is no legal requirement that there must be a police instruction to the hospital before a 2nd autopsy can be done. Why are the hospitals insisting on it?

As such, there is now no certainty that Dr Porntip will be allowed to carry out the 2nd autopsy on Sugumar, despite the Health Ministry’s undertaking that they will facilitate the autopsy. This prevents us from making the necessary arrangements for Dr Porntip to come to Malaysia and carry out the 2nd autopsy.

The family has had a difficult and emotionally exhausting battle to get justice since Sugumar’s killing more than two weeks ago. The prolongation of the struggle for the 2nd autopsy is a great torment for the family. We call upon the police, Health Ministry, Cabinet and Prime Minister to immediately cease this concerted attempt to sabotage the family’s quest for justice. The Prime Minister and government must urgently remove all the unnecessary and unlawful obstacles preventing the 2nd autopsy. Immediate directions must be given ordering University Hospital or any other government hospital to allow the 2nd autopsy, to be carried out by Dr Porntip.