Court holds police responsible for construction worker’s death in custody

Hidayat Abdul Halim’s brother Faiz (second from right) and representatives from NGOs Suaram and Gegar submit a memorandum to the AGC requesting an inquest into Hidayat’s death in this 2021 file photo.

PETALING JAYA: The Kuantan coroner’s court has ruled that the police were responsible for the death of a detainee at the Pekan police station three years ago.

Construction worker Hidayat Abdul Halim was arrested by police at his home on Oct 8, 2021, after allegedly consuming drugs.

He was taken to the Pekan police station and died 48 hours later. He is survived by his wife and six children.

An inquest was held to determine Hidayat’s death, with coroner Ahmad Zamzani Zain finding that Hidayat died of internal bleeding in his brain.

Ahmad Zamzani added that Hidayat’s death could have been prevented if the police had taken him to seek medical treatment.

During the proceedings, the court heard that Hidayat complained to the officers on duty that he was not well, and that he had also vomited.

The officers gave him a Panadol to ease his pain. Hidayat died the following day.

His family contended that the officers in charge should have consulted their supervisors on what to do when a detainee fell sick.

Lawyers Haijan Omar and Nik Zarith Nik Moustapha held a watching brief for Hidayat’s family while deputy public prosecutor Syarifah Nursyuhada Tuan Mat was the inquest conducting officer.