How did the Ganapathy and Sivabalan deaths impact the police chief?

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Gombak Police Chief's Defamation Suit Withdrawal Linked to Impact of Detainee Deaths

Outgoing Gombak police chief Arifai Tarawe has withdrawn his RM10 million defamation suit against news portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT), citing that the media outlet did not intend to portray him negatively and was merely performing its journalistic duties. This decision followed significant public debate and personal distress stemming from the deaths of A. Ganapathy and Sivabalan Subramaniam while in Gombak police custody. Arifai indicated that these cases deeply affected him and his family, including his children, who were distressed by comments from peers.
Personal Distress Over Detainee Deaths

Arifai Tarawe stated that the deaths of A. Ganapathy and S. Sivabalan were deeply upsetting to him and his family. He shared that his children were negatively impacted, hearing from friends that their father was being labelled a "bad guy." This caused him considerable emotional pain as a father, seeing his children hurt by such remarks, which he maintained were untrue.
Reiteration of No Harm to Detainees

Despite the controversies, Arifai reiterated that no police officer wishes harm upon any detainee. He affirmed on record that no individual under his custody was harmed during his tenure. This statement was made in the context of public discourse and accusations of police brutality.
Public Debate and Disproportionate Impact

The deaths of Ganapathy, who died on April 18 after 12 days in police custody, and Sivabalan, who died on May 20, less than 24 hours after his arrest, sparked considerable public debate. This discussion focused on allegations of police brutality and the disproportionate number of deaths involving ethnic Indians while in police custody.
Circumstances of the Detainees' Deaths

A. Ganapathy's family claimed his health deteriorated due to beatings, pointing to swollen and bruised legs as evidence of assault. Ganapathy was admitted to Selayang Hospital where his legs were amputated after contracting necrotising fasciitis. Sivabalan Subramaniam, a 42-year-old security guard, reportedly died of a heart attack shortly after his arrest.

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How did the Ganapathy and Sivabalan deaths impact the police chief?

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