Cops called Bersih protester ‘Chinese pig,’ Suhakam panel told

By Thanusya Shanmuganathan

July 24, 2012

 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — A tuition teacher has alleged that a policeman took his gold chain and assaulted him while he was subjected to racial slurs by other officers after he was arrested here on April 28, the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into violence at the Bersih rally for electoral reforms heard today.

“The policeman tugged at my gold chain. I struggled as the chain cut at my neck but managed to unlock the chain eventually.

“I tried to put the chain in my pocket but the cop took it away and hit me for doing so. The more I fought, the harder I was hit,” said Leong Siew Meng, 34, a tuition teacher from Subang Jaya.

The alleged incident happened in front of the Royal Selangor Club here.

Leong also told the panel that policemen uttered racial slurs at him.

“The cop did not handcuff me. He called me an ‘arrogant being’ and ‘Chinese pig’ along the way to the club.”

He added that while he was being taken to the Jalan Semarak Police Training Centre (Pulapol), he heard other policemen singing the song “Inilah Barisan Kita”.

All the detainees were given food and water, and allowed to contact their loved ones using their mobile phones, he said.

Leong was released at midnight but his gold chain was not returned to him.

He alleged that so far no follow-ups had been made regarding his police complaint.

The inquiry panel, led by Suhakam vice-chairman Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee and aided by commissioners Professor Datuk Dr Mahmood Zuhdi Abdul Majid and Detta Samen, will be interviewing some 22 witnesses over a period of 22 days.

The inquiry continues tomorrow.