Police must probe officers who allegedly assaulted anti-GST activists who protested at the Customs Department office in Kelana Jaya, NGOs urged.

 

In a joint statement, today Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and Suaram programme coordinator Serene Lim said such attacks were extremely unacceptable and disappointing.

 

"Informants claimed that detainees were forcefully pushed and beaten during the arrest.

 

"The abusive behaviour went on even after the police had secured the arrests," they said, adding that some of the detainees had their faces covered with clothes before being hit.

 

They added these incidents further heightened the public’s mistrust of the police.

 

Scuffles had broken out between hundreds of riot police and anti-GST protesters at the Kelana Jaya Customs office, and later at the Kelana Jaya police station on Monday.

 

82 people were arrested that day, most were later released.

25 however remained in detention, and were charged for criminal trespass and not abiding by orders to disperse by the police.

 

Among those charged were Kuala Kerai MP Dr Hatta Ramli and Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar.

 

Besides calling for a probe on the police using excessive force, Maria and Lim also reiterated their call for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

 

This, they said, was to ensure disciplinary action would be taken against errant cops.

 

Call for IGP to resign

Meanwhile Gerakan Hapus Akta Hasutan (Ghah) has called for IGP Khalid Abu Bakar's resignation for "abuse of power and misconduct."

 

They accused him of clamping down on hudud critics' freedom of expression by holding an Islamic State (IS) threat over their heads.

 

"Ghah denounces Khalid for attempting to justify the clamping down of freedom of expression with the threats from IS and to cover up his selective persecution on those who criticised the Kelantan Syariah bill," it said in a statement today.

 

It said the IGP was quick to act against hudud critics like lawyer Eric Paulsen ( right ), but took no action against Tourism Minister Nazri Aziz nor former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad when they too criticised hudud.

 

The top cop yesterday warned the public not to question hudud, as it would incite IS' wrath .

 

He has since clarified that debating the constitutionality of hudud is fine, but not the essence of the syariah law itself.