A group of police personnel kicked protestors who were seeking shelter in a hotel lobby during the Bersih 3.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur on April 28, a witness told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) public inquirytoday.

 

NONE Factory technician Selamat Abul Hamid said 15 to 20 police personnel had entered the hotel lobby, and immediately began shouting “ Keluar! (Get out!).”

“At first they (the protestors) pretended that they did not hear anything, so they got kicked,” he said.

 

Selamat, 42, said he had come with his family to Kuala Lumpur from Batu Pahat, Johor.

While he participated in the pro-electoral reform rally, his wife and four children aged 17, 11, 10 and 3 went shopping.

He later met up with his family at the Swiss Hotel in Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, where a friend had offered his room for Selamat to perform the Zohor prayers.

“After Zohor, I wanted to leave. But as soon as the door opened, I smelt smoke (from tear gas), so I did not go out,” he said.

 

At this time, he said, the lobby was crowded with protestors seeking shelter, some of whom appeared to be injured.

 

NONE “About 10 to 15 minutes later, (the group of) police officers wearing uniforms but without name tags and serial numbers stormed through the door to beat and kick the participants,” he said.

 

Asked by panel head Khaw Lake Tee (right) as to what he understood by the instruction to “get out”, Selamat replied that he understood that he was being arrested and not merely evicted.

 

He also said he had twice attempted to run, but the first attempt was aborted when he noticed that his children were not with him.

 

On his second attempt, the police caught him and dragged him to a holding area outside the Royal Selangor Club. This was after he was spotted telling his children to follow him, just before making his run.

‘Youngest child mimicked cops’

 

Under further questioning by the panel members - also comprising Mahmood Zuhdi  A Majid and Detta Samen - Selamat said he was never officially told that he was being arrested, or informed of his rights under arrest such as the right to seek legal counsel.

Detta asked if Selamat’s children had been traumatised by the episode or had shown any behavioural changes after the incident.

 

Selamat replied in the negative but said his second daughter - the three-year-old - had shouted “Keluar! Keluar!” a few days later, apparently mimicking the police officers.

 

NONE He also said that, if not for the arrest, he would have joined his family for shopping and left the city by 7pm.

 

Instead, his entire family was taken to the Police Training Centre in Jalan Semarak to have their details recorded before they were released about midnight.

 

Selamat was the 30th witness to testify before the panel, which is tasked with investigating alleged human rights violations during and after the rally.

 

Now into its 14th day, the next hearing will be held on Sept 10.

Clarification from cops, DBKL

 

At a press conference later, Khaw said the panel will ask the police for their side of the story over several incidents, including one involving a crashed police car near the Sogo shopping complex during the rally.

 

NONE The driver of the police car allegedly lost control of the vehicle, which ploughed into a group of protestors, injuring at least four of them.

 

In addition, Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) officials will be called to testify.

“The secretariat has sent a letter to DBKL .... because (witnesses) have claimed that DBKL had acted against the protestors. So, we want to hear their story,” said Khaw, who is also Suhakam vice-chairperson.

 

She also said she wants to know details of a meeting between the police and media prior to the rally, and about follow-up actions taken after the briefing, as well as after the rally.

 

“This is to ensure that the rights of reporters and photographers are protected as (this is) one of the basic human rights,” she said.

 

At least a dozen reporters have complained of being targets of police harassment and assault during the rally, including manhandling, injuries, arrest, and confiscation of - or damage to - their equipment.