A contractor has questioned the motive of police in arresting and detaining five of his company's security guards over a period of time in Petaling Jaya recently.

Prima Group Managing Director Lim Keng Siew said the latest case occurred when police picked up Ling Kong Seng on Nov 20. He was then allegedly assaulted while under detention at the Kelana Jaya police station.

"Our security guards did not threaten or hurt anyone and yet they were arrested, detained and one was even beaten up with bruised eyes and a broken head.

"When we asked what the charges were against them, the police said 'We can detain you for stealing motor-cycles'," he said at a press conference after meeting the Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus committee at the lobby of the Parliament house today.

He said his staff were handcuffed and prevented from meeting the company's lawyer and directors.

"Only when I returned from overseas a few days ago, they (the police) allowed me and my lawyer to see Ling. But we were stopped from taking photographs of him as the tell-tale signs of him being beaten up were still there," he said.

'Adequate evidence'

Lim accused the police of being involved in his company's commercial dispute with another construction company. "This is a commercial dispute. Why are the police involved? Why did they detain my people and lock them up?

"Something is very wrong with the police force," he alleged.

Four out of the five security guards appeared at the press conference with Lim together with their lawyer P Uthayakumar. The other security guard has since resigned.

Caucus's member Lim Kit Siang said the committee was highly concerned over the alleged involvement of police personnel in the matter.

"The assaults have been photographed and documented and we have adequate evidence. The police should not get involve in a civil dispute," said the Opposition Leader.

He said caucus's chairperson and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz would bring the matter to the Cabinet's attention.