Taiping prison doctor used body scanner for medical check-up, inquiry told
KUALA LUMPUR : Taiping prison's in-house physician was criticised today for employing a contraband detection scanner in a medical examination conducted on an injured inmate.
Testifying at an inquiry conducted by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), Dr V Navin Esavik said he used the full-body scanner to examine an inmate for suspected fractures and soft tissue injuries.
The examination was conducted following a Jan 17 relocation exercise involving over 100 inmates by some 60 prison wardens.
Navin said he had, with the officer-in-charge's permission, modified the body scanner to detect small fractures, adding that it was common practice to put the equipment to such use.
Questioned by lawyer Shashi Devan, representing the family of deceased inmate Gan Chin Eng, Navin admitted that he lacked both the certification and training required to operate the body scanner.
'You ought to have sent any inmate with a suspected fracture to the hospital, so that you could get a conclusive reading on the state of their injuries.
'Instead, you were using the wrong equipment to do it,' said Shashi.
Bar Council representative S Kavitha alleged that Navin had breached the medical profession's Hippocratic Oath, particularly its principle of doing no harm, by failing to intervene to ensure the safety of inmates during the incident.
Navin, however, defended his inaction, saying he feared for his own safety.
'I wouldn't injure myself to stop these things from happening. That's not my job,' he said, dismissing suggestions that he feared being assaulted if he intervened.
The public inquiry, conducted by Suhakam chairman Hishamudin Yunus and commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki, is investigating allegations of assault during the relocation of inmates from Hall B to Block E of the prison.
The inquiry continues tomorrow.
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