Press release by Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together (EDICT) and Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH-ADA) on 13 January 2025 in Kuala Lumpur
Abu Bakar bin Ja’afar, 62, was disappointed that no inquest has been held for his son Muhammad Atif bin Abu Bakar, who died suspiciously on 19 December 2022 at the mosque of Taman Wawasan Mersing.
According to the autopsy report, there were 53 marks of injuries on the body of Muhammad Atif and the cause of death was “traumatic asphyxia”. The family suspected that Atif was being tortured by some unknown person until he was dead.
Abu Bakar said his lawyer M. Visvanathan had received a letter from the Johor Branch of the Attorney General Chamber on 17 November 2024 that an instruction was given on holding the inquest.
“We received no information after this, it has been two months already and we are still waiting. Please have some sympathy on the death of Atif. We urge the police to carry out an investigation.” Said Abu Bakar in a press conference today at the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
M. Visvanathan said the police only summoned the family to attend a hearing at the police Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) on 24th December 2024 at Bukit Aman. He said that the purpose of the JIPS investigation is only for police misconduct, not an inquest demanded by the family.
“I call on the government to speed up the process of the inquest, it doesn’t make sense to delay the inquest for two years. Politicians must pay attention to this alleged torture to death case, rather than harping on the addendum of the pardon board.” Added Visvanathan.
Also presented in the press conference were Atif’s mother Shahrom Binti Ahmad, brother Muhammad Aiman bin Abu Bakar, the chairperson of Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH-ADA) Ng Yap Hwa.