Ten-year-old Mohd Zafran Amran saw his father being beaten by Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel at a demonstration yesterday.

When met at the Pusat Rawatan Islam in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon, the schoolboy had two words to describe the police personnel - ' orang jahat ' (bad people).

"I was alone (when the FRU charged) and was very scared," said Mohd Zafran, whose father Amran Zulkifli was hospitalised after being repeatedly clubbed by the police.

The sight of Amran, whose blood was profusely flowing from deep wounds in his head, had shocked those who were at the protest.

The 38-year-old businessman was immediately sent to the Pusat Rawatan Islam, Kuala Lumpur, where he was given five stitches.

Numerous organisations and opposition leaders have strongly condemned the police's aggression against the 500-odd anti-fuel price hike demonstrators who had gathered peacefully outside the

Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

'Worried about my son'

When malaysiakini met Amran today, he revealed palm-sized black-blue bruises on his shoulder, his back and upper-right arm.

"I was not afraid (when the FRU charged), but I was worried for my kid. I was afraid he would be attacked too," he said.

Recounting the incident, Amran said he shielded his son with his arms when the police had fired their water cannons. They then quickly moved out of range.

"Then came the FRU - armed with shields and batons. They beat whoever came in their path. We had no chance to plea to them, we could only run."

"In the chaos, I lost my son. So I slowed down. The FRU came from behind me and they kept beating my back and head with their shields and batons," he added.

According to him, blood began flowing profusely from his head and his black shirt turned red.

"I felt dizzy but I continued to run from them," said Amran, who was discharged today.

Amran's friends sent him to the hospital. Despite being drenched in blood, the businessman managed to call a friend to look after his son while he received medical treatment.

He said a photo journalist was also beaten on the head and he also bled while others suffered from bruises.

Amran went ballistics when told that Dang Wangi district police chief Kamal Pasha claimed 'minimum force' was used by the FRU. Kamal added that the police had acted in self-defense.

"If it was minimum force, they won't hit our heads. We were unarmed, we didn't assault the FRU. They were not dispersing the protestors. This was not dispersing. They wanted to hurt us!"

Amran had lodged a police report over his assault yesterday.

Broken hand

Meanwhile, another demonstrator Lim Ban Teng, 24, broke his right hand when he was hit with a baton.

He told malaysiakini that the protestors had shouted "OK, OK, we disperse!" but the FRU had ignored the plea.

According to a video footage taken during the scuffle, the protestors were raising their hands to indicate that they were harmless when the FRU charged.

"They suddenly attacked us," said Lim, who is the treasurer of the Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (Dema).

One of Lim's friends was cut in the face by a police shield while others sustained minor injuries.

"I can't write. This will affect my job," said Lim, who is a tuition teacher.

Dr Hatta Ramli, the chief organiser of yesterday's protest, said they will lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) against the FRU's violence.

Hatta vowed that the protestors would not be cowed by the police violence against them. "We are considering another protest."

Photo gallery

Video footage

Brutal end to anti-fuel hike demo