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Probe May Day rally police brutality
Free Malaysia Today - May 25, 2011
Kuala Lumpur – The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) was today asked to hold an inquiry into the excessive use of force by the police during the May Day rally.
A coalition of 75 NGOs calling themselves the May 1 Committee today submitted a memorandum to Suhakam officials on the abuses on the peaceful protesters.
Present at the handover were representatives from Jerit, Suaram, DEMA and the Bar Council. Also present was PSM treasurer A Sivarajan and central committee member V Selvam.
They recounted the various abuses which the peaceful protesters endured during their march on Labour Day from Chow Kit to Darataran Merdeka.
Twenty-one people were arrested, including five underage boys. Also detained were Sungai Siput MP D Jeyakumar and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S Arutchelvan.
They were arrested for failing to disperse from an 'illegal assembly'. Sivarajan said the arrests were made in a violent and abusive fashion, with the police arbitrarily arresting whoever was wearing a 'Skuad Merah' T-shirt. "All these arrests were unnecessary and mala fide," he said.
Review Penal Code and Police Act 1967
Suhakam was urged to not only investigate the police abuses, but pass on the memorandum to the relevant government groups so that action could be taken against the police force. "It's more like PRDM – Polis Raja Di Malaysia," said V Selvam.
The May Day committee wants Suhakam to pressure the government to review the Penal Code and Police Act 1967 and get rid of clauses limiting freedom of assembly and expression.
Suhakam secretary Hashimah Nik Jaafar said that she hoped that in future, protesters would take heed of the commission's recommendation of informing the police first.
Bawani KS from Jerit clarified that a letter was indeed sent to the police on April 25, and Chief Inspector Johari of IPD Dang Wangi contacted the organisers wanting more information. "Unfortunately, despite being informed, he did not contact us further."
Hashimah promised to sort the matter out with the police and find a solution pleasing for both parties.
Over 400 people marched on May 1 calling for minimum wage and against the continuing price hikes. The May 1 Committee has been organising annual May Day rallies since 1994. Its members say police have become more aggressive in recent years.
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