Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Gerakan Guaman Rakyat (Gegar), the NGOs handling the case, said Muhammad Hidayat Abdul Halim was arrested under Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Suaram project coordinator Mohammad Alshatri Abdullah said Hidayat did not have any record of health issues.

“This is possibly the 13th custodial death this year,” he said after submitting a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), adding that Hidayat was a father of six.

“His wife, Nor Nazipah, saw a car outside their house at 11am on Oct 8. Two men entered through the back door and arrested Hidayat,” said Ahmad Faiz, the victim’s brother, adding that police handcuffed his brother before taking him away.

Faiz said that at 9pm the same day, one sergeant Wahidi called Nazipah to tell her Hidayat had been detained after testing positive for drugs.

“At about 8am on Oct 11, a police officer called to ask if her husband had any prior health issues before revealing that her husband had died.

“Nazipah was asked at about 2pm and again at about 10.55pm to give a statement at the police station.”

He said Nor Nazipah was also called to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan on Oct 12 to meet forensics department chief Dr Sri Marni Zainal Abidin so the doctor could explain the cause of her husband’s death.

“The doctor told her there was a bruise on the victim’s thigh but that had nothing to do with his death. She was told he died due to a stroke.”

Syazwani Mansor, the lawyer acting for the family, said the exact time of the death was also not mentioned in the death certificate.

Suhakam commissioner Lok Yim Pheng, who received the memorandum, said her team will investigate the claims.

FMT has reached out to the Pekan police headquarters for comment.