RUU Koroner perlu rangkumi pasukan siasatan bebas, kata NGO

The proposed Coroner Act (RUU) must include the establishment of an independent investigative unit to prevent conflicts of interest, particularly in cases of deaths in custody, according to NGO and legal expert M Visvanathan. The NGO's chair emphasized that such a step is crucial to ensure fairness. Visvanathan, who is also a lawyer, suggested that Chapter XXXII of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), which deals with inquests, should be either drafted anew or entirely replaced with the Coroner Act to strengthen its implementation.

He also called for the proposal to be circulated for public comment before its announcement, stressing the need for improving the appointment and specialized training of coroners. Meanwhile, legal scholar Muzaffar Syah Mallow from the University of Islam Malaysia noted that the proposed special act could better control the investigation of deaths.

He stressed that the coroner's service must be completely free from political interference and staffed with professional professionals. This step is essential to ensure a thorough autopsy process and prevent any public controversy or negative perception, he added. However, he reminded the government not to rush and conduct a thorough study alongside forensic experts and refer to models from countries like Singapore and the UK to avoid any backlash.

Earlier, the Prime Minister's Department (Perdana Mukti) reportedly said the government was reviewing legislation to establish a more independent, transparent, and officially recognized death investigation system in the country. According to Azalina, this includes specifying categories of deaths that must be reported and strengthening the powers and independence of coroners.

She said that the review of the draft RUU design expected to be presented to the Dewan Rakyat next year would also cover the harmonization of investigative procedures nationwide.