On January 17, 2025, Taiping Prison personnel used excessive physical force against detainees during a transfer operation, including 61-year-old inmate Gan Chin Eng, who later died from injuries sustained in the incident and delays in medical care [1, 2, 3]. Suhakam's public inquiry panel concluded the use of force violated Articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution guaranteeing rights to life and equality, and failed to comply with international human rights standards such as the ICCPR, UDHR, Nelson Mandela Rules, and UNCAT [1, 2].
The panel described the prison officers as having "lost self-control and acted as if they had 'gone berserk' during the transfer operation," with actions that clearly exceeded legal boundaries and violated human rights, according to Suhakam chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md Yunus [1].
Medical evidence showed Gan died from an abdominal injury caused by blunt trauma consistent with assault by prison officers, compounded by coronary atherosclerosis [4]. The inquiry found systematic human rights violations and medical negligence, including untrained detainees abandoning Gan, failure to provide emergency oxygen, and at least a 35-minute delay in transporting him about 2 kilometers to Taiping Hospital [1, 5, 2]. Hishamudin called the delays and indifferent actions in treatment "completely unacceptable" [2].
Taiping Prison, a heritage-listed facility built in 1879 with deteriorating infrastructure, was identified as unsafe and unfit for detention purposes, contributing to the violations. Some inmates were held in Block E, closed since 2021 due to poor conditions [6, 7, 4]. Suhakam recommended closing the prison as a detention facility and converting it into a museum, with a new prison built at a different location [6, 7].
Systemic issues identified include overcrowding—national prison population exceeds capacity with 84,000 inmates versus 76,000 spaces—poor detainee transfer planning, administrative weaknesses, staffing shortages, and lengthy remand periods [3, 4]. Criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy said the findings reveal a breakdown in custodial practices and ethical supervision, highlighting failures in frontline and supervisory leadership during high-risk operations like prisoner transfers [8].
Although prison warden Ryndee O’Nel Victor was charged with causing Gan’s death, no other prison officers have been publicly disciplined despite evidence presented. Allegations exist of falsified records and destruction of evidence that could obstruct investigations [3, 8, 4]. Suhakam rejected claims that disciplinary action would constitute double jeopardy and called for accountability, warning that failure to act would create impressions of immunity for personnel involved [3].
The Prisons Department has issued an official statement saying it takes the report seriously but has declined further comment [5, 9]. The government has expressed concern and said it will review Suhakam’s findings before deciding next steps. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the matter may be discussed at an upcoming cabinet meeting and referred to the Home Ministry or Prisons Department [10, 11, 12].
