ANOTHER custodial death, the 12th this year, has been reported, this time in Sarawak.

In a statement, Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department director Azri Ahmad said the case involved a 48-year-old Indonesian man who was arrested for drugs and immigration-related offences.

Azri said the man was detained temporarily at the Bintulu district police headquarters and had complained of breathing difficulties.

He said the man was sent for further treatment at Bintulu Hospital, where he died.

Azri said the cause of death is yet to be determined and promised a thorough investigation into the statement.

The last custodial death also involved a foreigner – a Myanmar national detained for immigration related offices, who died at Tanah Merah Hospital in Kelantan on February 26 due to Covid-19.

The 82 lock-up deaths comprised detainees who were Malay (42), Indian (15), Chinese (13) and foreigners (12). The racial profile statistics of people who died in custody have not been made unavailable. – March 6, 2022.