KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer T. Shashi Devan has urged government agencies named in the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) report on Taiping Prison to act decisively on its findings and implement meaningful reforms.
He said the relevant authorities must take the findings seriously, adding that the recommendations should be viewed as a catalyst for strengthening the administration of justice rather than as criticism of the system.
He was commenting on the Suhakam report on human rights violations at Taiping Prison, which found evidence of abuse and negligence uncovered during its public inquiry, pointing to systemic failures in the prison’s management and administration.
The report called on the Royal Malaysia Police, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Prisons Department to conduct a fresh and thorough investigation into the events of Jan 17, 2025, which led to the death of 62-year-old inmate Gan Chin Eng (main image).
“I hope that the enforcement agencies and all other relevant stakeholders mentioned in the report take heed of the recommendations, and that the government views them seriously, allocating time and resources to improve access to justice and the administration of justice,” said Shashi.
He said the inquiry findings had helped bring long-standing issues within the system into the open.
“I think the panel has brought some issues that were hidden for a very long time out into the open today, and this has to be made known,” he said.
He cautioned against viewing the report as an attack on institutions, instead framing it as an opportunity for improvement.
“We are not here to find fault. We are here to find ways to improve the system,” he said.
Shashi also commended the Prisons Department for what he described as its willingness to embrace reform.
“From the get-go, the Prisons Department has taken the position that it is prepared to make the necessary changes, and I commend it for that,” he said.
He noted that the department had acknowledged certain shortcomings in its submissions.
“They did acknowledge that force was used against detainees. They took the high ground and accepted that there was a flaw in the system,” he said.
However, he stressed that responsibility for implementing reforms ultimately lay with the government.
“Now it is up to the will of the government to make the necessary changes,” he said, adding that resource and administrative constraints would need to be addressed.
Shashi also called for accountability among agencies named in the report.
Shashi says government agencies named in the Suhakam inquiry into Taiping Prison must view the report as an opportunity to address weaknesses and improve the system.
“There are serious structural issues in your organisations. Please step up and make the changes,” he said.
“You are there to ease the administration of justice. So when we call you out and say there is a problem, do not take offence. Improve the system,” he added.
He said Suhakam’s 80-page summary contained strong findings and significant recommendations, which he commended.
However, he said the inquiry had not been without challenges, alleging attempts to obstruct the process.
“It was not an easy task, bearing in mind that during the inquiry there were efforts to obstruct and, to put it bluntly, to twist and manipulate the facts surrounding what actually transpired on Jan 17, 2025,” he said.
On Dec 19, 2025, prison warden Ryndee O’Nel Victor, 25, was charged with causing Gan’s death. He claimed trial under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder at the Taiping Magistrate’s Court.
Andrew Khoo, who held a watching brief on behalf of the Malaysian Bar, agreed with Shashi and said he hoped Suhakam would be allowed to conduct surprise inspections.
“The law now states that it must give advance notice (on visits by bodies including Suhakam for the purpose of investigations) but that gives the alleged wrongdoers time to clean up their mess or conceal matters, “ he said.
“If there are allegations of wrongdoing, Suhakam must be allowed to conduct swift investigations without procedural obstacles that could hinder its work.”
Separately, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) welcomed the Suhakam Public Inquiry Panel’s renewed call for Malaysia to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) and enact specific anti-torture legislation criminalising cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
“There is still much work to be done, but what is important is that the panel has renewed its call for Malaysia to ratify UNCAT,” said Suaram executive director Azura Nasron.
“There are gaps in Malaysian law in relation to UNCAT which need to be addressed first.
“Parliament and the Home Ministry are aware of this. Hopefully, they will now take action, but the question remains: why did they wait for Suhakam to issue these recommendations?”
Image: Gan Chin Eng, 62, died in Taiping Prison in Perak on Jan 17, 2025.
