A bystander at Bersih's November 2007 rally has filed a suit against the police and government over the injuries he sustained while being arrested.

aleyasak suing 061207 asking Aleyasak Hamid @ Hassan (left) , 34, is claiming RM2 million in damages for a broken knee-cap, allegedly caused by police officers who were sent in to disperse the crowd.

His lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri said it is the responsibility of the police and government to protect the public, and not to engage in a “violent and arbitrary show of force”.

“That is why we filed a civil suit against the Malaysian government, asking them to be responsible for the actions of the police who have barbarically and violently kicked and hit him (Aleyasak) without any justification,” she said after filing the suit.

Alesak, a hawker and father of two, had previously claimed at the time that he had not participated in the rally and was bystander after he was convinced that it was a peaceful rally.

Aleyasak, who was in court with his wife and three children, was still visibly shaken when recounting the incident.

Can't afford regular treatment

He said all of a sudden he heard someone in the crowd telling everyone to run, but it was too late for him as police caught up with him and allegedly stomped on and broke his left knee after he fell in the stampede.

“I asked them to help me, told them that my knee was broken but they spoke to me harshly and handled me roughly. They made me get on the police truck on my own, even after I told them that I couldn’t get up on my own,” he said, his hands shaking.

bersih rally 101107 fru water cannon masjid jamek Aleyasak, who has since had to quit being a hawker due to the injury, noted that he had to wait half an hour in the truck before being brought to the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.

He admitted however that he was immediately transferred to a waiting ambulance upon arrival at the headquarters, for treatment at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

Aleyasak said he is required to undergo monthly treatment, costing him around RM70 for each visit, but is unable to go regularly as he cannot afford it.

Bersih - a polls watchdog coalition of 67 NGOs and five political parties - organised the rally and march to the national palace to submit a memorandum on electoral reform.

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