Death of infected detainee in Penang sparks alarm

GEORGE TOWN – An alarm has been raised over the lack of suitable health and hygiene practices in the country’s jails and courts following the death of a detainee of Covid-19 at the Penang Prison.

This is especially so as the 85-year-old victim was found to be infected with the virus more than seven hours after he was discovered dead on Monday (Sept 5).

He had been brought to the court complex in George Town last week for remand.

The Prisons Department has meanwhile confirmed that a total of 1,126 active cases of Covid-19 involving prison inmates and staff nationwide were recorded as of yesterday.

S. Raveentharan, a coordinator for the Lawyers for Justice movement, said that prison officials and the general police force need to improve the standard operating procedures (SOP) for handling prisoners to ensure they are not vulnerable to the highly contagious ailment.

"Now the lives of everyone at the court complex, including lawyers, police, judges, court officials and administrators, and even the defendants, are at risk if those infected are appearing in court,” said the practising advocate and former Penang state assemblyman. 

“I am scared to go to work now," he said. "We need a new SOP in dealing with prisoners and remand detainees."

Raveentharan said that the authorities need to improve on their supervision to ensure physical distancing and other appropriate care.

Everyone, including prisoners, must wear masks, have gloves on and use hand sanitisers.

He said the courts should also allow cases to be heard online until the spread of the virus abates.

The deceased detainee was found to have been a carrier by a doctor at the Penang Hospital, which is located near the prison complex, following a post-mortem at 2pm on Monday.

The inmate, who lived in the Asia Heights apartments estate in Air Itam here, was found dead in prison around 7am.

He was being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for first-degree murder in relation to a homicide case in Air Itam last year.

In a statement yesterday, Prisons Department director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar said the Covid-19 transmission among inmates began when the Tawau Prison in Sabah received a new inmate from Lahad Datu who tested positive on October 2.

“The other cluster was detected in Alor Star Prison on September 29 and the department views seriously the spike in the number of positive Covid-19 cases at the prison, which now is the highest among other prisons,” he said.

“Therefore, the department has taken all necessary measures to comply with the SOPs set by the Ministry of Health to treat, quarantine and curb the spread of the disease in all aspects of management of prison inmates and staff in the country,” he said.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had said that Malaysia recorded 691 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday. Of these, 394 were detected from the Tembok Cluster in Kedah. - The Vibes, October 7, 2020.