SHAH ALAM – An autopsy or post-mortem process is an important procedure and is mandatory if there are suspicious elements in any death case in the country.
Manipal University College Malaysia Criminologist Nadiah Syariani Md Shariff said the procedure is vital to determine the actual cause of death.
She cited cases involving suspected criminal elements such as murder, sudden unexplained deaths and the death of minors as examples requiring such examinations.
“For suspicious deaths, investigations related to the death should be conducted at an early stage.
“This includes post-mortem examinations as referred to in Sections 329 and 330 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Both sections impose the obligation on police officers to investigate the death and the need to carry out a post-mortem to determine the cause," she said.
Nadiah Syariani explained that the Criminal Procedure Code outlines the legal steps for death investigations, with Section 329 requiring police to investigate deaths and Section 330 demanding that a post-mortem is one of the medicolegal procedures involved in determining the cause.
She said in reference to the case of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir, whose grave was recently exhumed for a post-mortem to determine the cause of her death.
Addressing the possible consequences of not conducting a post-mortem when a death is first recorded, Nadiah Syariani said it could result in a wave of public speculation, as seen in Zara Qairina’s case.
“Ideally, a post-mortem should be conducted at an early stage, especially in suspicious death cases such as this, to avoid subsequent issues arising. These issues may be related to the overall investigation, as well as questions concerning post-mortem findings in cases where the body is in an advanced stage of decomposition,” she said.
She added that authorities should also consider holding an inquest for the case, given the high level of public attention, similar to the cases of the late Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim and Teoh Beng Hock.