Malaysian Insider By Clara Chooi July 12, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — The Home Ministry’s panel on the fatal police shooting of schoolboy Aminulrasyid Amzah has completed its probe and is satisfied with how the force had investigated the case.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, in a written reply to a question from Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) issued last Thursday, said that the special panel was “at this point” satisfied that the police’s investigation on the case had been “transparent” and that it had been concluded in a short time.
He noted that since Aminulrasyid’s case had been handed over to the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s office, the issue on why the government had not formally apologised to the youth’s family was now “irrelevant”.
“The issue of whether the suspect had committed an offence or not is now under the jurisdiction of the courts.
“Hence, it is not appropriate for the government to take any action before the case is heard in court,” he said.
In his question to Parliament last week, Lim had asked why the government had not issued a formal apology for carelessly “killing” the 14-year-old Aminulrsyid in Shah Alam on April 26.
He also asked why the investigation into the case was only carried out by the ministry’s special panel, led by deputy minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop, and why it had not been an open investigation.
Hishammuddin explained that the special panel was formed with two main objectives — to directly monitor the investigation process by the police to ensure that it was fair, transparent, fast and would be fair to all parties and to observe police procedures on the use of firearms as well as other procedures related to the operations and duties of the police.
“The panel was also set up to, after its probe, prepare proposals to improve police procedures,” he said.
Aminulrasyid was killed following a 6km chase in Shah Alam on April 26 after, as claimed by the police, allegedly reversing and ramming into policemen.
His family have cried foul over the death and have called on the authorities to apologise to them for accusing the youth of being a suspected criminal.
The eight-man government panel was formed to quell rising resentment towards the police following the shooting.