Thursday March 8 Student’s SPM: I forgot, cop tells inquiry Leong Kar Yen 9:10pm, Thu: A police officer was today questioned over the remand of a 17-year-old student in the ongoing Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into alleged human rights violations at an opposition-sponsored rally along the Kesas highway in Klang on Nov 5 last year. Commissioner and inquiry chairman Anuar Zainal Abidin asked the police witness, “When you had spent so much time interrogating her, spending three to four hours on Nov 7 and three hours on Nov 8, why is it that you did not ask her when she was going to take her SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examinations?” The witness, Inspector Stephen Ganesan, said, “Maybe I forgot.” Ganesan, an Investigating Officer at the Klang district police headquarters, was responsible for the remand of 119 individuals arrested for illegal assembly, including fifth former Umi Jumaina Mohd Jan, during the 100,000 People’s Gathering organised by Keadilan. The inquiry also questioned Ganesan why Umi had not been released earlier rather than on Nov 10, two days before the SPM examinations. “I could not release her as we were still investigating her case,” Ganesan said. “As a student she should not have been there. She was wearing a Keadilan shirt, too,” he added, at which point he submitted a picture of Umi to the inquiry. Umi testified before the inquiry on Dec 13 last year that police personnel abused her when she was arrested and later harassed her during interrogation. “I was trying to run away but was caught,” she had said. “My head scarf was pulled off and I was elbowed and beaten with a baton. I fell onto the road in a daze but was ordered to get up and brought to a police truck,” said Umi. No violence Earlier today, the inquiry heard the testimony of deputy FRU (Federal Reserve Unit) commander Supt Roslan Abdullah who stated that he did not see any of the personnel under his command commit any form of abuse. “No, I did not see any of my men use violence against those who were arrested. I will not give orders to do so because I do not condone such behaviour. “But if they do commit these wrongdoings they will have to bear the responsibility themselves. They will have disciplinary action taken against them,” Roslan said. Anuar also asked Roslan if it was true that the FRU troops had been put in a state of mind where they would respond violently to the crowd. “The FRU personnel were constantly rotated and they never waited there for more than a few hours,” said Roslan in reply. Roslan was later showed a video of about 10 police personnel surrounding another inquiry witness, Saidin Wateh @ Pak Din, being kicked and beaten with batons. “They were not FRU, they were Poru (Public Order and Riot Unit) personnel,” Roslan clarified to the inquiry. He later said that the FRU have the same equipment as Poru units the only difference being that Poru units have green uniforms whereas the FRU are in blue. Trained to keep calm Meanwhile another witness, the commandant of an FRU training school in Ipoh, ASP Mohamad Fauzi Ismail told the inquiry that even in tense situations, the FRU have been trained to remain calm at all times. “Yes, we do get the feeling of vengeance at times, but we have been trained and it is expected in our line of work to have to go through situations of provocation. “We keeping telling our men of the need to have both physical and mental endurance to be able to weather these situations,” Fauzi said. When commissioner and inquiry panel member Mehrun Siraj asked Fauzi what he tells his men in such situations, he said, “We just tell them to keep calm.” Anuar, a former Chief Justice of Malaysia, is assisted by Mehrun, a former dean of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s law faculty, and Simon Sipaun of the Sabah Civil Service Commission. The inquiry continues at the Suhakam headquarters in Menara Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, with three more witnesses from the police.

Wednesday December 13 Cops threatened and beat me, girl tells inquiry Leong Kar Yen 7:36pm, Wed: A teenaged witness told a Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry today she was beaten by riot police while watching a group of people gather at the Kesas highway at Bukit Rimau, near Klang, to attend the 100,000 People’s Gathering on Nov 5. “I was trying to run away but was caught. My head scarf was pulled off and I was elbowed and beaten with a baton. I fell onto the road in a daze but was ordered to get up and brought to a police truck,” said Umi Jumaina Mohd Jan, 17. She told the inquiry, headed by former judge Anuar Zainal Abidin, that she was returning to her school in Klang from a shopping trip to Kuala Lumpur when the incident occurred. Hamidah Mat Som, Umi’s mother, was also present today as a witness for the inquiry. “I just wanted to accompany two of my children back to their school hostel. We had no idea that there was a gathering at the Kesas highway,” said Hamidah. According to Hamidah, the family had gotten out of their car on seeing the huge crowd at the Bukit Rimau toll plaza and then decided to perform their prayers at the toll plaza’s office. “There were two FRU trucks parked horizontally on the highway. There were also many people on either side of the road,” Hamidah said. “After we finished our prayers, my daughter (Umi) and I went down to the highway to see what was happening. My daughter saw Mohamad Sabu (the PAS MP for Kuala Kedah) in the midst of the crowd and she said ‘That’s Mat Sabu’,” related Hamidah. ‘Taking orders’ In her testimony, Umi said as she and her family were walking towards Mohamad Sabu, riot police suddenly rushed at them and started wielding their batons. “Mohamad Sabu loudly told the policemen not to hit me. When the policemen caught hold of my hand, my mother tried to intervene but was also detained,” she said. She said her father, who was close behind, tried to tell the policemen that she was scheduled to take her SPM examinations but the policeman only replied that he “was taking orders”. Umi, who has just sat for her SPM examinations, also told the inquiry that she was verbally threatened while being remanded at the Port Klang police station. She said while being interrogated by a policewoman, she was told that if she did not cooperate “her future would be in jeopardy”. When asked by Anuar if the police had read her her rights as a remand prisoner, Umi replied no. “After I gave them my statement the policewoman said, ‘We are not satisfied with your answer. You better tell us the truth. We will wipe your record clean if you cooperate’,” Umi said. Anuar is being assisted in the inquiry by Simon Sipaun, chairperson of the Sabah Civil Service Commission and Prof Mehrun Siraj, who is the former dean of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Law Faculty. Representatives from the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers have been absent since the first day of the inquiry. The inquiry will resume on Jan 2.

Dec 12, 2000 No warning before tear gas fired, says Mahfuz Leong Kar Yen 7.30pm, TUES: A youth leader told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry today that the participants of the 100,000 People's Gathering on Nov 5 were not given a proper warning to disperse when the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) charged forward at the crowd. "Water containing chemical irritants was sprayed at us and everyone ran in the opposite direction. The FRU marched forward firing tear gas at the same time; they gave no warning," said PAS youth chief Mahfuz Omar. The three-member Suhakam panel, headed by former judge Anuar Zainal Abidin, is investigating allegations of police brutality at a reformasi gathering along the Kesas highway on Nov 5 which was attended by about 10,000 people. Mahfuz said that he first met the leaders of Keadilan, PRM and DAP at a rest-stop at Awan Besar before proceeding to the Kota Kemuning toll, an exit leading to the scheduled gathering place of Jalan Kebun. "The FRU personnel were already lined up at the toll plaza. We were 100m away from the toll with our supporters. The BA leaders gave speeches asking supporters to disperse. "Lokman Nor Adam, chairperson of the gathering's organising committee, announced that the crowd should disperse but decided that four representatives, including Keadilan Youth chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, lawyer Zainur Zakaria and PRM Youth chief Faisal Sanusi, be sent to negotiate with the police to let people through. "Before we could step forward, the FRU sprayed us with the chemicals," Mahfuz said. Crowd size Anuar then asked Mahfuz how serious the after effects of the chemical spray were. "My joints became weak, and my mind was clouded when sprayed upon," said Mahfuz who is also a Member of Parliament for Pokok Sena. Asked on the size of the crowd present on that day, Mahfuz replied, "It was more than 10,000." However, he did not say anything when queried as to how long it would take to disperse a crowd of 10,000 people. Another witness, malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone, estimated that it would take a half hour, adding however that it was impossible then due to the massive jam on the highway that day. Anuar is being assisted in the inquiry by Simon Sipaun, chairperson of the Sabah Civil Service Commission, and Prof Mehrun Siraj, who is the former dean of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Law Faculty.

Dec 12, 2000 Witnesses tell inquiry of police smashing cars Leong Kar Yen 7.45pm, TUES: Two witnesses today gave detailed descriptions to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) of alleged police vandalism on cars and motor vehicles caught in the jam during the 100,000 People's Gathering on Nov 5 on the Kesas highway. "Vehicles that were left behind had broken front and back windscreens. There were even cars with punctured tyres," said Kamarul Azwan Hashim, 20. "There were riot policemen that took to the motorcycle lane kicking the motorcycles until they fell, smashing the side view mirrors and denting the accelerators," he added. Kamarul also related how he tried to assist a white Proton which Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail was in, in trying to escape from the riot police. "She closed her face with a handkerchief trying to fight off the effects of the tear gas," he said. He also described how a Proton Iswara was smashed into by a police water cannon truck. "There was another Proton Iswara where the windscreens and the car battery were broken," he said. Thirty cars Meanwhile, malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone also told the inquiry of alleged police vandalism. "There were plainclothes men carrying rotan sticks, pushing the motorcycles down, and I saw them vandalising cars as well. They punctured tyres and broke the windscreens. "The alarm went off on a blue Proton and a policeman broke the front windscreen, opened the bonnet of the car and pulled out the battery. Loone said the man later punctured the tyres. "About 30 cars which were parked at the side of the road were vandalised as well," she said.

Dec 12, 2000 PAS MP, codenamed Tango, says he was hit with rotan Leong Kar Yen 5.40pm, TUES: Updated version PAS MP for Kuala Kedah, Mohamad Sabu, today told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry that he was assaulted with a rotan by riot police during a reformasi gathering early last month. "I was hit with a rotan with such force that my comb (in my trousers pocket) broke. I still have some marks on my body," he told the three-member panel of the inquiry. The inquiry, headed by former chief judge of Malaya Anuar Zainal Abidin, is investigating into the alleged incidents of police brutality at a gathering at the Kesas highway on Nov 5. Mohamad Sabu, whom the police had codenamed Tango, also said that he saw riot police firing tear gas into a crowd gathered at the Kampung Batu 6 near the Kesas highway on that day. "When I arrived at Kampung Batu 6, there were people running because the riot police were shooting tear gas into the village. "There were women and children in the crowd and they were screaming and crying. I myself could feel the effects of it," he added. Mohamad said that Kampung Batu 6 is approximately one kilometre from the scheduled gathering place of Jalan Kebun. The more than 100 people assembled there were sequestered as the police had set up roadblocks and did not allow anybody to go anywhere, he added. "When the gas died down a little, I walked forward 100 feet. I screamed at the police to stop from firing any more tear gas because the children were screaming in pain from the tear gas fired," he said. "Half an hour later, they began shooting again but this time only shot three to four canisters in the kampung," Mohamad added. No warning When asked by inquiry chairman Anuar Zainal Abidin if the police had asked the crowd to disperse, Mohamad said that he heard no such warning, adding that the 300- to 400-strong crowd dispersed after saying prayers. Mohamad added that he was hit when a group of rotan-wielding General Operations Force policemen arrived at the Kota Kemuning toll plaza on the highway. He said he had also appealed to the police not to assault a woman beside him. "They took off her headscarf with much force, threw it to the ground and then kicked her and kept on kicking her even when I asked them not to," Mohamad said. He was then caught by several policemen and he overheard a police inspector say: "Tango is in our hands." "I was told to walk towards a police truck a distance. Upon reaching the truck I was told by a police officer ‘Yang Berhormat, you are free to go' upon which he released the two to three people who were with me as well," he added. The inquiry will continue tomorrow at Suhakam's headquarters at Menara Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. Anuar is being assisted in the inquiry by Simon Sipaun, chairperson of the Sabah Civil Service Commission, and Professor Mehrun Siraj, who is the former dean of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Law Faculty.

Dec 11, 2000 I was blinded for three days, man tells Suhakam inquiry Leong Kar Yen 8.30pm, MON: Updated version Saedin Wateh alias Pak Din, a businessman, told the Human Rights Commission inquiry this morning he was assaulted when he tried to intervene on seeing a policeman kicking an old man at a gathering at the Kesas Highway on Nov 5. Saedin said the old man, who had squatted in front of him, was rubbing his eyes due to tear gas when a policeman in riot gear approached. "The policeman kicked him (the old man) in the back and he fell. He was then detained by the policeman. "I reprimanded the policeman, telling him not to kick the old man," Saedin told the panel hearing the inquiry. The three-member Suhakam panel, headed by former judge Anuar Zainal Abidin, is investigating allegations of police brutality at a reformasi gathering along the Kesas highway on Nov 5 which was attended by about 10,000 people. "Suddenly, after I had scolded the policeman, somebody caught hold of me and I was punched several times in the cheeks and also kicked in my private parts," Saedin said. He said he later heard some "spraying noises" from some two to three feet in front of him. "I felt intense pain in my eyes and became blinded," he said. Detained in truck Saedin also claimed that the riot police were not pointing their tear gas canister launchers upwards but rather right into the crowd. At one point, he claimed that the riot police were aiming directly at Dr Wan Azizah Ismail (photo), wife of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, and at PAS president Fadzil Nor. Saedin said that after being blinded, he was pulled by the trousers and placed in a police truck, which already had about 40 people in it. Saedin and those detained were taken to a police operations centre that had been set up at the SM Jalan Kebun. For the four hours that Saedin was detained there, he detailed more instances of alleged police brutality. "I was holding on to the railings in the truck as my eyes were in pain. I also heard people saying prayers. The police were shouting ‘Kurang ajar! Ambik minyak pewangi!'. "They sprayed me with chemical irritants again many times in the truck while it was parked at the operations centre. Others who were injured were also sprayed. The injured were bleeding from the ears and the nose," he said. Denied medical attention Saedin also said that he was denied medical attention both at the police operations centre as well as at the Port Klang police station when he was finally taken there. "I was refused medical treatment both at the police operations centre at Jalan Kebun and later at the police station," he said. Saedin said that even with the presence of a lawyer, he was still denied medical attention. He claimed that he was only taken to the hospital at 6am the next morning. "My eyes could not open and were watering heavily. The doctor said that I had to see the eye specialist at 9am. He did not give me any medication but told me to wait for the specialist. "But the police took me back to the police station instead. The lawyer told the police to bring me back to the hospital at 9am but I was only brought back at 1pm. Even this had to be at the request of the lawyer," Saedin said. He said he (photo) was admitted to the hospital for nine days and for three of the days he was blind. He said that before being sprayed with chemical irritants by the police, he never had to wear eyeglasses but now he needed spectacles only to read. "I will get headaches if I don't use the glasses," he said. Wan Azizah to testify The inquiry will continue tomorrow at Suhakam's headquarters at Menara Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. Anuar is being assisted in the inquiry by Simon Sipaun, chairperson of the Sabah Civil Service Commission, and Professor Mehrun Siraj, who is the former dean of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Law Faculty. Representatives from the police and the Attorney-General's chamber were not present at the inquiry today despite being invited by Suhakam to observe the proceedings. Among the witnesses scheduled to be called tomorrow include Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, Mahfuz Omar, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pokok Sena and Muhamad Sabu the Kuala Kedah MP.

Dec 11, 2000 'I was hit with a tear gas canister' Leong Kar Yen 7.30pm MON: A bodyguard for Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today that he was directly hit on the head with a tear gas canister which riot policemen launched in his direction. "On Nov 5, I was asked by the family of (jailed deputy prime minister) Anwar Ibrahim to go and observe the situation in Jalan Kebun and report back," said 31-year-old Shaiful Khairy Kamarulzaman (photo). He said that Federal Reserve Units (FRU) were spraying chemical irritants to disperse the reformasi protestors when he reached there. When the situation calmed down, Saiful said that he decided to call Azizah. She arrived an hour later on a wheelchair, the result of an accident at home. She then proceeded to give a speech, calling on the gathering to disperse, he said. "Before anybody could disperse I heard news that a police officer had been beaten. I knew that there was going to be trouble. I wanted to make sure that Wan Azizah had an escape route. "When the FRU began to move forward, the other (Barisan Alternatif) leaders were still making speeches. Wan Azizah was then being wheeled away. But 20 or 30 feet later, the tires of her wheelchair burst," said Saiful. He said that another bodyguard and her relative carried Azizah across the highway as she was beginning to succumb to the tear gas. According to him, a white Proton Wira, driven by a stranger, stopped to ferry Wan Azizah to safety. "I helped her in and then sat on the boot. There were three to six riot policemen behind us and one of them pointed a tear gas canister launcher in our direction and fired. I was hit on the head and I fell. Even though it was shot at a 60-70 feet range, it hit me directly. "When I got up, I was dazed. My vision was blurred and I was deaf in my right ear," he said. Saiful told the inquiry that he was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Shah Alam Selangor Medical Centre for two days and one night with a fractured skull. Unlawfully detained The three-member Suhakam panel, headed by former judge Anuar Zainal Abidin, is investigating allegations of police brutality at the reformasi gathering along the Kesas highway on Nov 5. Meanwhile, another witness, Shaari Abdul Karim, 40, told the inquiry that he was going home to Shah Alam on Nov 5 but was caught in the traffic jam caused by the gathering. He said that around six General Operations Force (GOF) policemen chased after him. "I had nothing to do with the gathering. I was only watching. When the police ran towards me, I started running, and then I was beaten. I was beaten with a stick, stepped on and kicked. I was bruised in the eye, the right arm, the left arm and on my back. "When I fell down, I was told to get up and was then beaten again. I was half-conscious and was then handcuffed," he said. Another witness, Monashofian Zulkarnain Putra, said that he too, had been unlawfully detained and was not a participant at the gathering. "I was coming from my sibling's house after sending my child there and I was heading towards Klang via the Kesas highway. I was stopped at a roadblock but was let through. I was later caught in a jam. I was stuck and came out of the car to pray. "I had no intention of becoming involved with the gathering. After my prayers by the roadside, I went back to my car and directly behind me appeared a team of policemen, two water cannon trucks, the GOF and others. They directed the water cannons at me," he said. Car damaged He said that a group of uniformed policemen whom he identified as ASP Balwandi Singh and an ASP Shamsudin hit his windscreen and kicked his car door. "ASP Shamsudin kicked my door until it was dented and ASP Singh dented my car bonnet," he said. He said that another police officer shattered his car's rear windscreen. Monashofian said that his car was then towed away with him still inside and was taken to the Port Klang police station where he spent five days in the lockup. The inquiry will resume tomorrow at 9.30am at Suhakam headquarters in Menara Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. Keadilan leader Azizah, Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar and Kuala Kedah MP Muhamad Sabu, both of whom are from PAS, are expected to testify tomorrow.

kesas picture story

Friday March 9 Mother of three stripped naked and asked to squat, inquiry told Leong Kar Yen 7:07pm, Fri: A police constable who ordered a reformasi supporter to strip off her clothes and squat told a Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry today that she did so as she was only following orders. Policewoman Dayang Sabnam Ratman said she ordered Norazimah Mohd Nor, a mother of three, to strip off to see if she had hidden prohibited materials such as drugs. “Upon reaching the special room I asked the suspect to take off her clothes. I requested her to do so because I wanted to make sure that she did not have prohibited materials such as drugs into the lockup,” said Dayang. She was testifying at the Suhakam inquiry into allegations of police brutality at the opposition- organised ‘100,000 People’s Gathering’ along the Kesas highway at Klang on Nov 5 last year. “I then asked her to squat to see if she had hidden any small objects in her private parts such as drugs or heroin as there were also drug addicts detained in lockup, but after the search I could find no such materials and told her to put her clothes back on,” said Dayang. When commissioner and inquiry chairman Anuar Zainal Abidin asked her if she had forcibly made Norazimah to perform squats and sit-ups, she said “No”. Norazimah had told the inquiry on Jan 2 that she was arrested on Nov 4 while setting up her stall selling reformasi merchandise. She said she was then taken to Kapar police station where she was ordered to strip off and do sit-ups in front of a policewoman and other detainees. (I was ordered to strip naked, Suhakam witness testifies, Jan 2) Outside forces Another police witness, Chief Inspector Szabrenna Pou Abdullah, testified that she interviewed a 17-year-old student, Umi Jumaina Mohd, who had been detained at the gathering, to collect “security intelligence”. Umi had earlier testified before the inquiry that she had her head scarf torn off and was beaten by policemen before being detained in a police lock-up for five days. When asked what “security intelligence” meant, Szabrenna said, “We are just trying to obtain information on individuals or groups wanting to topple the government. “She is a student, she is not even supposed to be at the gathering in the first place. She is a student therefore her responsibility is with her studies and the government,” Szabrenna added. Inquiry panel member Mehrun Siraj then asked if Umi should have been disciplined by her school instead, to which Szabrenna answered “we had to find out if she had been influenced by outside forces”. The inquiry continues at Suhakam headquarters in Menara Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, tomorrow. Anuar, former chief justice of Malaya, is assisted by Mehrun, the former law faculty dean at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Simon Sipaun, chairman of the Sabah Civil Service Commission.