The Malaysian Bar - Bersih inquiry panel wants policeman ‘Koh’

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Bersih inquiry panel wants policeman ‘Koh’

Wednesday, 25 July 2012 08:54am

©The Sun Daily (Used by permission)
by Alyaa Alhadjri and Mumtaz Bahir

KUALA LUMPUR (July 24, 2012: The National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry panel on Bersih 3.0 has requested the police to identify one of its men – known only as “Koh” – who was said to be stationed at Royal Selangor Club during the rally on April 28.

Panel chairperson Dr Khaw Lake Tee today said the panel wants to look into calling ‘Koh’ to testify since his name had been mentioned by two witnesses on alleged police brutality that day.

Khaw said this during a testimony by witness Leong Siew Meng, 34, who described how he was arrested at about 6.50pm and escorted from the basement of Bandaraya LRT station to the Royal Selangor Club.

“There were two rows of policemen along the road leading up to Royal Selangor Club who punched and kicked me. They also hurled profanities and made racial slurs against me,” Leong said

He said he spotted a Chinese with the name ‘Koh’ written on his tag at the end of a row of policemen. “I asked him in Mandarin: ‘Mr Koh, why did you allow this to happen?’” said Leong who claimed that he received no response.

Leong said he had tried to make his way to KL Sentral earlier at about 3.30pm, but was “chased” by a group of six or seven policemen and KL City Hall officers without any apparent reason.

“I had no choice but to walk to DBKL. I walked to the LRT Bandaraya, but the trains were not running,” he said, adding that he was hit by a round of tear-gas shot by FRUs in Jalan Raja Laut.

Leong said he sought refuge in a nearby alley where he was assaulted by a policeman in uniform, also for no reason.

“He caught hold of my collar and my gold chain. During the scuffle, I managed to unclasp the chain, but did not manage to keep it,” he said. Leong claimed the policeman then pocketed his gold chain.

Meanwhile, the panel also heard of a tear-gas canister in the vicinity of Masjid Jamek allegedly causing a man to incur permanent loss of vision in his right eye.

Asrul Wadi Ahmad, 26, said the incident occurred at 3.15pm, just as he was exiting the mosque to look for his father.

“Just as I stepped out of the mosque, a hard object believed to be a tear-gas canister hit me directly on my right eye and I fainted on the spot,” said Asrul Wadi.

“I received nine stitches on my right eye and another two on my nose,” said.

As result his injury, Asrul Wadi said he is worried that he might not be able to pass compulsory medical checkups and secure employment.

The hearing continues tomorrow.

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