By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Jan 1: Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar opined that there is “no strong reason” to hold an inquest for fallen firefighter Mohamad Adib Mohd Kassim.
“Actually, there is no strong reason for the inquest to be ordered in the case of Mohamad Adib’s murder.
“Under the present law on inquest, the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), it is not for the coroner to determine who was involved in the killing but only to enquire into whether or not there was a crime committed and person or persons involved in the culpability.
“The coroner’s report after the inquest is whether a crime has been committed and not on who did it,” said Wan Junaidi in a statement.
Wan Junaidi, who is a lawyer by training and is also a former Deputy Home Minister, said from the evidence gathered by the police, “there is/are strong evidence to show that somebody or group of people are involved in the death of Adib”.
Hence, he said the police should just investigate who is or are involved in the murder of Mohd Adib.
“If we expect more from the inquest, the CPC must be amended. I had wanted to do it in 2013 and chaired a technical committee formed by PDRM to look into the laws on inquest to give more power to the coroner in our inquest system.
“But before I could finish the report, the Attorney-General (AG) already formed the Coroner’s Court without looking comprehensively into the needs to revamp the laws for the coroner’s powers and authority in conducting inquests,” he revealed.
Wan Junaidi was responding to Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement recently that the AG would order an inquest to determine the cause of death of Adib.
Muhyiddin said AG Tommy Thomas had informed him that the magistrate had been ordered to conduct an inquest under Section 339(1) of the CPC.
Adib, 24, passed away on Dec 17 after sustaining serious injuries during last month’s Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple riots.— DayakDaily
