A memorandum on the lack of police protection for Indians in areas affected by the recent racial clashes in Petaling Jaya Selatan was handed to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today.

The 30-page memorandum, prepared by the pro-tem committee of the Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia's Police Watch and Human Rights sub-committee, included 28 photos of some of the victims.

"We appeal to Suhakam to investigate all the allegations and to initiate an urgent inquiry into these baseless and unfounded brutal racial attacks on innocent Malaysian Indians," said sub-committee legal advisor P Uthayakumar, who is also the pro-tem secretary general of the party.

The memorandum named 29 victims of the clashes and detailed the injuries they suffered. It also said that it could not get in touch with about 20 others were also injured in the clashes.

About 20 family members of the victims were present when the memorandum was handed to Suhakam commissioner Anuar Zainal Abidin this morning.

Hundreds deployed

Violent clashes in Kampung Medan and its vicinity since March 9 resulted in the death of six persons and 52 injured. The clashes were reported to have continued for four days. About 600 police personnel are stationed at the affected areas to maintain peace and order.

The police arrested about 300 people who were believed to be involved in the clashes and most of them have been charged in court under the 1958 Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act, the 1967 Police Act and the Penal Code.

[Full report to follow]