Updated version The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) tribunal inquiry into alleged police brutality at the Kesas Highway gathering on Nov 5 which was scheduled to begin today was postponed to tomorrow as witnesses who were called to testify failed to turn up this morning.

When the three-member panel headed by Anuar Zainal Abidin sat at 9.35am, none of the witnesses who were expected to attend were present.

"We are not ready to proceed with the inquiry as the police has not yet given the names and addresses to Suhakam," Anuar told reporters and all present in the hearing room at Suhakam's new office at Menara Tun Razak, Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur, while apologising for the postponement.

"We wrote to the police in Klang on Nov 15 seeking assistance on getting the names and addresses of those involved in the incident. Unfortunately, we have not received any response from them.

"We are therefore unable to issue necessary notices to witnesses to appear before the commission."

Expressing displeasure at the police's lack of cooperation in providing the information, Anuar said, "Until we get a reply and the addresses from the police, we cannot do anything."

Meanwhile, when asked in a press conference if Suhakam was planning to send a notice to the police to provide the addresses, Anuar said that he did not understand why the police were so uncooperative.

"I don't know why it is so hard for them to give the addresses especially after it has been splashed in the newspapers. If they don't want to cooperate, there is nothing we can do but we will still go on with the inquiry," he added.

Suhakam on Nov 8 decided to investigate into allegations of police brutality on Nov 5 as provided for in Section 12 of the Suhakam Act.

The witnesses scheduled to attend today were Norazimah Mohd Nor, who alleged that she was asked to strip naked and perform squats while in remand, and Saidin Wateh, who was temporarily blinded by tear gas.

When asked why the witnesses did not appear today, the Suhakam secretariat said they did not receive any response from the notices sent to the two witnesses.

Protection

The inquiry will now be held tomorrow at 9am with Zainur Zakaria, lawyer and legal counsel to former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, being called as a witness as he was present at the scene of the Kesas Highway gathering of some 10,000 on their way to the 100,000 People's Gathering at Jalan Kebun, Klang, organised by Keadilan.

When asked by the representatives of the Bar Council if the witnesses would be protected from giving incriminating evidence against themselves in the inquiry, Anuar replied that witnesses would be protected.

"We are not going to force them (witnesses) to say what they don't want to say but they are protected under Section 15 of the Act and we would inform them of their rights before proceeding," he said.

While invitations to the hearing today have been extended to the Attorney-General's Chambers, Bar Council and the police, only two Bar Council representatives turned up.

Meanwhile, the 124 individuals who were arrested on charges of illegal assembly for the gathering and later released on police bail were told today that their original bail had been extended.

According to a report released by human rights groups Suaram, those involved were told to report back at the Port Klang police station on Dec 12.