The city Ipoh was rocked today with another round of police brutality against three Malaysians of Indian origin. This is indeed after another shocked news of the death in custody of Kugan in Taipan police station in Subang Jaya. About 100 concerned citizens mostly of Indian origin today protested against the police many with placards outside the police head office in what is largely perceived us a continued and unchecked police brutality against the citizen.
The crowd headed Yb M.Kulasegaran together with other state and national lawmakers such as YB Sivanesan, YB Sivakumar (speaker of Perak Assembly), YB Chang Lih Kang , YB lim Pek Har , YB Manikavasagam and Mr Sugumaran who is the political secretary of M.Kula were there to obtained detailed information from the Ipoh police OCPD after several attempts by family members to see the detainees were refused by the Police. Also present is the lawyer for the Speaker of Perak State Assembly, Mr Augustine Anthony who is also Bar Council Human Rights Committee member.
On Wednesday one of the detainees Vijayakumar was detained for an alleged offence in Chemor police station. On the same day his brother Pathmanaban and a family friend went to the same police station to enquire about the where about of Vijayakumar. There they were detained by the police without any plausible reasons and severely assaulted which resulted in one being admitted in hospital for outpatient treatment and another admitted for further treatment.
A distraught parents seeked the help of M.Kula to assist the immediate release of the three and set up an independent committee to investigate the alleged assault.
When the representative of the detainees arrived at the Ipoh Central police station, they were warmly welcomed by none other than then the OCPD of Ipoh. The police knew top police officers are concerned as to perception among the public that the police had been guilty of brutality and other wrong doings against detainees.
It is to be noted that the moment the OCPD saw the people carrying the placards and banners denouncing the police , he said these “peoples weapons” cannot be allowed into the police compound. Kula retorted that the police station is in Ipoh Barat constituency thus the OCPD cannot but must allow us the people in with the banners and more so as the police station is for the public protection . After some exchange of strong words the people gathered decided to show the world the writings on the placards and banners and exhibited it to all out side the police station.
In a closed door meeting with the Ipoh OCPD and host of other police personnel , the police assured two of the detainees will be released today and the remaining one to be either released or charged. An the OCPD hinted that there is some misconduct on part of the police and gave his undertaking that no stones will be stones unturned in the alleged assault case against the three detainees and that if investigation reveals wrongdoing on part of the police then they will be dealt with appropriately.
Outside an obviously angry and disappointed crowd over the way in which the police are treating the rakyat cheered when M.Kula broke the news about the outcome of the meeting.
Later M.kula assured all including the media that had gathered there that he and his team will monitor all such future misconducts of the police in Perak and if there are no effective measures to discipline and punish the perpetrators , then he may take the problem to the national level including directly informing the people of such actions of the police.
In today/s meeting a bigger crowd was expected but M. Kula advised against the large gathering of the people but will not and cannot guarantee that he will persuade the crowd with such similar advise in the future if the police are persistent with such brutality.
