Four people who were injured during yesterday's anti-toll hike protest at the Cheras Batu 11 toll plaza have alleged that the police used excessive force on them - and have the bruises to prove it.

Ho Chee Loong, 28, ( left ) told a press conference at the DAP office in Petaling Jaya today that plainclothes officers threw punches, kicked him and handled him roughly ( photos below ).

"My brother and I were sitting on the pavement waiting for instructions from the (Bandar Mahkota Cheras Access Road) Committee chairperson (Tan Boon Wah) when the police told us to disperse within five minutes," he said.

"In less than a minute, they caught me and handcuffed my hands at the back. Then plainclothes police officers kicked me in the groin, punched my chest and used their batons to poke me. I was then dragged to the police truck."

Chee Loong received outpatient treatment at the Kajang Hospital and was given three days' medical leave due to the injuries he sustained.

He said he was worried about possible internal injuries caused by the beatings as he has since been experiencing breathing difficulties.

Taking off his shirt, he revealed crimson bruises on his wrists, chest and waist. Finger-shaped bruises could also be seen on his neck.

He was one of 21 demonstrators arrested. Others included Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief Tian Chua, PAS leader Dr Hatta Ramli and DAP leader Ronnie Liu, all of whom were taken to the Kajang police station yesterday.

The demonstration was organised by anti-toll hike organisation Protes - a coalition of opposition parties, civil society groups, trade unions and student groups - of which Hatta is secretary.

Fewer than 100 protestors gathered at two spots at the toll plaza to show displeasure against the hefty toll hike.

Kajang police chief ACP Rosli Mohd Nizam told them to disperse - on grounds that it was an illegal assembly - even before the protest began. About 80 police officers were present.

They were given five minutes to disperse, but the police started arresting the protestors in about three minutes. The anti-riot Federal Reserve Unit assisted in dispersing the group.

Video clip shown

Chee Loong's brother, air-conditioner technician Chee Hui, 27, ( photo, centre ) also sustained injuries when he was caught up in the scuffle when he went to help his brother.

Others with bruises to show were DAP Sungai Long chairman Tan Han Kuo, 40, and Boon Wah, 37 ( photos, left and below ).

Reporters were also shown a video clip that showed protestors being manhandled by the police and loaded into a truck.

Most prominently featured was Chee Loong shouting, "Why are we arrested? We're not doing anything wrong". After he was placed in the police truck, an officer in a blue shirt was seen punching him.

Also present at the press conference were DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Selangor chairperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Lim said that just minutes after the demonstration started, police began arresting protesters and beating them up.

"They used police cudgels and they just beat them repeatedly on the head and the body," he added.

"It was completely unprovoked. Even when they were following the police officers to the police trucks, they were just beaten from behind even though they did not resist arrest," he said.

District police chief Rosli denied any beatings took place and said police were forced to act against the ilegal assembly.

"To me it was just normal procedure and the things that cannot be avoided when we arrest people," he told AFP .

The protest was the third in the series organised by the coalition to oppose the 20-60 percent hike in the toll rates along five Klang Valley highways beginning Jan 1.

In the earlier two protests - the first at the Sunway City toll plaza along the LDP highway two weeks ago and the second in Gombak last Sunday - the police had been commended for allowing the peaceful protests to proceed.

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