Sunday March 1, 2009
Cops use water cannons to disperse 300-strong crowd
By LOURDES CHARLES
KUALA LUMPUR: Police used water cannons to disperse a crowd of about 300 people who had gathered yesterday to lodge a mass report against the alleged mistreatment of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee P. Uthayakumar.
Seventeen people, including Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam and Uthayakumar’s wife S. Indradevi, were also arrested for gathering illegally.
City police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Sabtu Osman said one of those arrested was sent to hospital when he fainted while lodging a report after he was believed to have inhaled the chemical-laced water fired from the cannons.
“We did not baton-charge them but used only water cannons,” DCP Mohd Sabtu said.
It took about 40 minutes for Federal Reserve Unit personnel to disperse the crowd using the water cannons.
Cordoned off: FRU personnel keeping watch outside the Brickfields police station in Kuala Lumpur where some 300 people had gathered to lodge a mass report against the alleged mistreatment of Hindraf leader Uthayakumar. Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said police were forced to act as the crowd failed to heed police advice to disperse and were inconveniencing others at the Brickfields police station here.
“We advised them on Friday and even appealed to them on TV and radio and in the newspapers not to come in such large numbers to lodge the same report because we will investigate the matter as a single report.
“They did not want to listen, and wanted to mock the police and create unnecessary problems for others.
“The police station is a security area and we cannot allow such huge numbers inside for security reasons,” he said.
Musa said police allowed the group to be represented by 10 people but they refused to accept the advice or offer.
Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, who arrived at the scene later, said the incident should not have happened as every citizen has the right to lodge a police report.
“It is clear there are different standards practised by the police when dealing with such matters,” he said.
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