MALAYSIA: Police beat labour rights advocate
KUALA LUMPUR — Well-known labour rights advocate Tian Chua said that two of his vertebrae were fractured after he was kicked heavily in his back by a police officer while being detained at the Jalan Hang Tuah police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on August 8.
Chua was arrested at the peaceful protest outside the Kuala Lumpur court where the former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, together with his adopted brother, Sukma Dermawan, were found guilty of sodomy on August 11.
A thousand people assembled amidst a daunting show of force by the police (in uniform and plain clothes) and the Federal Reserve Unit. The crowd assembled peacefully, singing songs and shouting slogans such as "Reformasi!".
At around 12.30pm, the police and FRU moved in to disperse the crowd. More than 10 people were arrested at that point.
Witnesses reported that two of those arrested, Mona Suffian (a former Internal Security Act detainee and member of Suara Rakyat Malaysia — SUARAM) and Sabran, were beaten by the police. At around 6pm on August 11, four of those arrested were reportedly sent to hospital for treatment.
Chua said the medical report issued by Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia confirmed that the fracture was a result of a severe kick; the mark of a boot was visible below the left kidney. Chua was arrested while he was among those gathered to receive news on the court decision in Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial.
SUARAM is very concerned about the frequent abuse of power by the police and the government to intimidate, harass and prevent Malaysian citizens from legitimately expressing their dissent through peaceful means.
Please send letters expressing your support and solidarity for those detained to SUARAM 383, 1st flr, Jalan 5/59, Petaling Gardens 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Fax +603 7784 3526, email <suaram@geocities.com> or visit http://www.c20.org/suaram.
Send letters of protest to: Home Minister Jalan Dato Onn, 50502, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, fax +603 230 1051; Chairperson, Malaysian National Human Rights Commission, c/- Kementerian Luar Negeri Wisma Putra 50602, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, fax +603 242 5043; and Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Norian Mai, Royal Police of Malaysia, Bukit Aman 50560, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, fax +603 2273 1326. Please send copies to SUARAM.
[Abridged from SUARAM. SUARAM is a non-governmental Malaysian human rights organisation working for a free, equal, just and sustainable society.]