Free Malaysia Today
By Rahmah Ghazali TUE, 13 JUL 2010 18:00
KUALA LUMPUR: Lembah Pantai MP Izzah Anwar today questioned the government’s decision not to charge the company responsible for training diplomatic and administrative officers with Nor Hashimah Wahid’s death on May 31.
Nurul Izzah said the Umno-linked company, Tuntas Consultancy Sdn Bhd, was awarded a government contract to oversee the training centres and as such, should also be held responsible.
She said it was grossly unfair to only “transfer” the six government officers involved in the programme and “free” the company, which is owned by the off-springs of former Higher Education Minister and ex-Kuala Langat MP Shafie Salleh.
“Why are the government servants made the scapegoats?
“If it is true that the contract was given to Tuntas, why are their instructors let off the hook?” she asked.
She has also questioned the type of training provided by the firm and the quality of the instructors.
Nor Hashimah, who fell unconscious during the commando-style training, died after drifting in and out of consciousness for four days. She died of severe pneumonia with multiple organ failure.
Following this, many reports have indicated that the 30-year-old mother was “bullied” and was even made to drink a “stocking juice” by an instructor at Selangor Enforcement Training Centre in Jugra, Banting.
Nor Hashimah’s family has alleged that the camp management only took her to Banting Hospital when her condition worsened and she had breathing difficulties.
She was warded for a day but was forced to continue with her training after her discharge.
Nurul Izzah also expressed her disappointment with the ex-gratia settlement paid by the government to the victim’s family as compensation.
“The payment made is nothing out of the ordinary as it is usually paid to those who died of natural causes (unlike Nor Hashimah’s),” she said.
