A group of Pakatan Rakyat MPs wants the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to conduct a public inquiry into the series of political violence that has emerged since February.

The inquiry should determine whether a systematic campaign of political intimidation was being carried out, and identify the parties responsible for these acts, the MPs said in a memorandum presented to Suhakam today.

NONE One of the MPs, Nurul Izzah Anwar of Lembah Pantai, expressed concern over police inaction on the incidents of violence despite the numerous police reports that have been lodged.

Before handing over the memorandum, the PKR vice-president pointed out that no action was taken against the person who assaulted student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim on April 3, despite the fact that the attacker had been identified through a video recording.

"Why has the person who punched Adam Adli not been charged? He was caught on video, and was seen during the PKR ceramah," Nurul Izzah said.

The student leader was punched that day, while he was at a four-storey low-cost apartment block in Kampung Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur, which had been slated for demolition.

There have been many other incidents of political violence that have taken place, most recently the disruption of a PKR ceramah in Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur, on May 24.

Eggs and stones thrown at crowd

At the ceramah session, attended by Nurul Izzah and her father Anwar Ibrahim, stones and eggs were thrown into the crowd, injuring a senior citizen as well as a 12-year-old girl.

Other incidents of violence that have taken place of late are:

  • Stones and eggs thrown at two DAP state assemblypersons and party supporters at a high-tea event in Merlimau, Malacca, on May 19 with Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, who was hours earlier advised by the organisers not to attend;
  • A party ceramah by PKR in Lepar Hilir, Pahang, which was disrupted in Feb 26, and during which Nurul Izzah was nearly assaulted;
  • The cars of Pakatan supporters pelted with stones in Sembrong, Johor, on Feb 26; and
  • An attack on reporters during an anti-Lynas rally in Penang on Feb 20.

Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam, who received the memorandum promised that the commission would conduct an investigation into the incidents raised therein.

However, Nayagam could not say for certain that a public inquiry would be held as this had to be discussed at a meeting of the commissioners.

 

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