The first serious encounter with the police has left an official from Johor PKR Youth emotionally scarred and traumatised by the experience.

NONE Teh Hong Ping ( left ), who is the secretary of the movement, said he was “shocked and appalled” by the police action at last Saturday’s anti-ISA rally.

He alleged that he was hit by fragments of a tear gas cannister that was fired directly at him from a distance of around 15 meters.

“This was the first time I saw or experienced such a thing.”

The rally was organised by GMI (Abolish ISA Movement).

The An-Nur Specialist Hospital – where Teh and others affected went for medical check-up later – stated in its medical report that Teh “was shot with a cannister” and suffered “a bruise on the right arm, measuring 11 by six cm in size.”

According to Teh, he was with 20 to 30 others who took part in the demonstration, including Gelang Patah PKR secretary Roslee Mohd Salleh, at that time.

Teh said that they were moving away from the demonstration site near Sogo at the orders of the police. Most of them were heading for their cars parked nearby when a group of police and FRU officers swooped on them and blocked the road.

NONE In the confusion, police proceeded to arrest fleeing demonstrators.

Teh said that he saw a police officer shoulder his weapon, 'bend down' and point his weapon directly at his group before firing the tear gas cannister.

What followed was a painful experience for Teh. As the missive headed straight for him. Teh said he flung up his shoulders and hands to protect his 'vital areas' – neck, face and chest.

Police actions questionable

Other than what happened to him, Teh also noted two other incidents which made him question the supposedly judicious use of force by the police in putting down the demonstration.

NONE He told Malaysiakini that he saw a man trying to flee the chaos being grabbed violently by a police officer and being held in a choke hold from behind.

But what was really appalling was the way a Muslim woman was restrained and arrested by a group of male police officers. Teh felt that this was not right.

He also said that when a photographer nearby pointed his camera at the scene, the police officers shouted “jangan tangkap gambar!” (don’t take pictures!) at him.

NONE The normal practice is for female officers to arrest or restrain female subjects.

PKR supreme council member Dr Zaleha Mustafa in a statement issued in Johor Bharu, severely criticised the ‘brutal’ actions of the police and FRU against the demonstrators – especially where Teh’s case was concerned.

Teh has lodged a report on the incident at the Bukit Jalil police station.