[UPDATED] Penang houseman death: DPP’s Office to determine if inquest necessary

GEORGE TOWN – The Deputy Public Prosecutor’s Office will decide if an inquest will be held over the death of a houseman here after falling from his apartment building in April as police have yet to find any criminal element.

Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong told Bernama that the authorities are in the midst of completing the investigation papers and that the case is being probed as “sudden death”.

“The investigation papers are almost completed and we need two or three more items to complete it...So far, the investigation has found no criminal element, we are still investigating it as a sudden death case.

“We will send the investigation paper to the DPP office soon. Whether there is a need for an inquest, it depends on instructions from the DPP office.”

Currently, police have taken statements from 21 individuals including family members of the houseman, colleagues and Penang Hospital doctors.

On May 13, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced the formation of HWCITF, which is tasked to look into bettering the working culture among Health Ministry staff following the bullying incident in Penang.

The task force is led by former science, technology, and innovation ministry secretary-general Datuk Siti Hamisah Tapsir and also includes seven other professionals and experts.

The recent death of the Penang Hospital houseman is believed to be the second involving a junior doctor in the state. 

Soffian earlier said the initial investigation centred on sudden death, but did not rule out the possibility of the case being reclassified if fresh evidence comes to light.

The houseman was posted to the hospital just three weeks before his sudden demise here. This is believed to be the second death to involve a junior doctor in the span of two years.

In December 2020, The Vibes reported that a doctor who had resigned from the same hospital had died suddenly. – The Vibes, May 17, 2022