A Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) Youth leader who was allegedly assaulted in Saturday's clash between anti-riot police and supporters of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim lodged a police report today.

When contacted, Zulhelmi Yahya claimed that about 10 Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel had hit him with batons as they tried to break-up a ceramah organised by the Free Anwar Movement in Pasir Salak, Perak.

"I was surrounded by at least 10 FRU (personnel). Some used their batons to hit me while the others kicked and punched me as I was struggling. Because of that, I suffered injuries to my hands, thighs and back," he said.

At press time, Zulhelmi was still in the process of lodging the report with the Teluk Intan police station.

'Pressured to act'

Asked what had sparked off the alleged assault, he claimed that the FRU personnel had set upon him when he refused to hand over the megaphone.

"The ceramah started long before but the police only moved in at10.30pm asking us (the organisers) to get everyone to disperse but I refused. Why should I ask the people whom I had invited to leave?

"Fifteen minutes later, they (the police) came in again and started making threats and the people started to disperse" he said.

At this point, Zulhelmi claimed that the police personnel wanted to confiscate the megaphone and when he argued that there was no reason to do so since the event was over, they allegedly began to assault him.

Subsequently, the Keadilan leader and five other leaders from the party and its opposition ally PAS were detained and released the following morning.

Those arrested were Selangor Youth chief SD Johari, Kedah Youth chief Zamil Ibrahim and Kedah Youth exco member known only as Johari, PAS Perak Youth chief Muhamin Sulam and his deputy Norazli Musa.

Zulhelmi, Muhamin and Norazli may be charged with obstructing enforcement officers from discharging their duties and holding an illegal assembly while the rest may be charged for unlawful distribution of pamphlets.

Abandoned convoy

Meanwhile, Zulhelmi said he was puzzled why the police had resorted to such high-handed measures this time around as similar events in the past went smoothly in the state.

"It was a first for us in Perak. We have done so many politically-related programmes at our headquarters but have never been roughed by the police like what had happened last Saturday.

"It seems that they are not happy with our campaign to free Datuk Seri Anwar. Even our convoy from Kamunting to Lumut was abandoned halfway (yesterday) after the police intimidated us with roadblocks," he said.

Also bewildered by the incident was Muhaimin, who claimed that the police could have been "pressured" by certain quarters to act harshly.

"I was shocked to see how the police assaulted Zulhelmi. That was uncalled for. It's not like the police did not know about the event. In fact, we discussed about the event with the police here and were advised not to prolong it until late and we agreed," he said.

'Specific instructions'

In a related development, Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor said he had no doubts that the police were "given specific instructions" to come down hard on activities related to the campaign to free Anwar.

"On Jan 18, when we launched the campaign at the Selangor state level at the Hokkien Association Hall in Klang, we were harassed with the presence of FRU and roadblocks. We were asked to cancel the programme after the police permit issued to us earlier was revoked.

"Then came the clash at Pasir Salak (on Saturday) where the FRU acted like the Gestapo...and yesterday the campaign was again disrupted by the police and we had to abandon the convoy from Kamunting to Lumut. Before we reached Ipoh, where 50 vehicles had waited to join us, we encountered four roadblocks and at each roadblock they asked for our identity cards," he added.

Mohd Ezam said he will submit a full report on the incidents to the Keadilan supreme council on Thursday urging them to forward the issue to the Barisan Alternatif presidential council.

"The BA leaders must make a strong statement on this. The world must be told that the new Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is hiding behind the soft image. The country is not moving to be more democratic as he had promised. From the look of things, Malaysia will be a police state if he (Abdullah) has his way," he added.

However, the Keadilan leader said the incident will not dampen the their spirit and the campaign will continue in Penang on Jan 29 in Nibong Tebal and end at Anwar's hometown Permatang Pauh on Feb 14.

(Photographs courtesy of http://aksi.fotopic.net/ )