Friday January 9, 2009

MCA: Act against those who use brutality in Cheras fracas

PETALING JAYA: MCA welcomes the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) findings that law enforcement personnel had violated human rights when using excessive force on four people during the Bandar Mahkota Cheras fracas on May 27 last year.

Its political education bureau head Gan Ping Sieu urged the Inspector-General of Police and the Government to give due attention to the case and Suhakam’s recommendations.

“Charges must be brought against the errant officers to restore the confidence of the public in our police force,” he said in a statement here yesterday.

On Wednesday, Suhakam found that the police and the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) had used excessive force on Chang Jiun Haur and Chan Siew Meng when residents gathered to pressure the Cheras-Kajang Expressway operator to remove barricades.

Gan is representing Chang in a reckless driving case.

He said the bureau would consider writing to the DPP to drop the charge, adding that punitive damages would be taken against the police later.

“Action must be taken against enforcement officers who used brutality against my clients and/or individuals responsible for the missing equipment from the victim’s car,” he said.

Gan added that it was unfortunate that Bukit Aman’s initial reply to complaints was evasive, lopsided and smacked of unprofessionalism in handling the matter and that police reports lodged were ignored.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said in a statement that the matter was now in the hands of the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

He said police cooperated with Suhakam in the inquiry by ordering all officers on duty the night of the incident to give their statements. On claims that FRU personnel were not wearing identification tags, he said the tags were covered by their vests.

Ismail also said that the incident was isolated and could have been avoided if Chang had followed police instructions and drove safely.

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