PKR is dissatisfied with the home minister’s parliamentary reply that the case of affray involving the bodyguard of minister Mohd Nazri Aziz’s son has been settled, as it does not touch on investigations against Mohamed Nedim Nazri.

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“What was the outcome of the investigation against Mohamed Nedim Nazri (right) under section 160 of the Penal Code?

“While admitting that the matter was investigated, Home Minister Hishamuddin Huseein deliberately does not say whether Nedim was cleared of the offence,” said PKR vice-president N Surendran in a statement today.

Yesterday the minister in a written reply told Parliament that the case between Nedim's bodyguard and the security personnel of a condominium had been settled amicably.


He was responding to Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne’s question to the ministry to reveal the results of police investigations against Nedim on the assault of a security supervisor, and on a separate case involving the death of a youth, Darren Kang, at Uncle Don's restaurant sometime in 2004.

Surendran said regardless of social position, everyone was “equal before the eyes of the law; the security guard in this case has a right to fair and impartial justice”.

“We call upon the home minister to make a full and frank disclosure of the real facts of the case and to re-open the investigation into this assault case,” he said.


Gov't abetting a crime?

NONESurendran said Hishammuddin in approving the settlement could be construed as abetting an illegal act, and his parliamentary reply has shown “blatant disregard ...  for the due process of law and the integrity of our criminal justice system”.

“It is unprecedented for the home minister to personally approve of such 'amicable settlements', which are against public policy and the rule of law.

 

“If a crime is committed, the perpetrator must be brought to court and duly charged. Under our legal system, crimes cannot be 'amicably settled '.

“Such a ' settlement ' could amount to an offence under Section 214 of the Penal Code.

“By approving of the 'settlement', Hishammuddin may have abetted and connived in an illegal act,” he said.

The PKR veep and human rights lawyer asked if the case has been “compromised” because it involves the son of a senior Umno minister.


NONEDemanding the terms of the “illegal settlement” and whether the police, Nazri or Hishammuddin were involved in the process, Surendran said:“The public is entitled to know if the course of justice was perverted in this case.”

Today DAP parliamentarian Gobind Singh Deo (right) also made a similar call for the attorney-general to fully disclose the details of the settlement as the people’s security was a matter of public interest.

“This is not just a private matter between the guards and the assailant. It involves the residents as well.

“It impacts upon all the residents in the area as it is their security detail which has been compromised. It is a matter of public concern,” said Gobind in a statement.- malaysiakini