Tian challenges police: Me, violent? Show unedited video for all to see

On July 21, the PDRM held a press conference to justify the violent conduct of police personnel. An edited video footage was released to the press in order to show that BERSIH demonstrators were aggressive and provocative. The PDRM claimed that they had only used minimal force against the peaceful assembly.

One particular clip showed the scene where the crowd marching out of the KL Sentral were met by a row of policemen. The video is said to show me leading the demonstrators running to the front. The PDRM asserted that it was an evidence of provocation.

Subsequently the video has been broadcast on prime time TV almost daily, with the objective of depicting BERSIH rally as violent. This edited video does not give the true picture of what happened at the tunnel that day.

The PDRM has launched an all-out media propaganda war to demonize BERSIH. Although the police did not specifically accused me for "charging" the police, reports in mainstream media insinuate that I and other demonstrators intended to "attack" or cause physical harm to the police officers.

This is far from the truth. From the video, it was clear that the policemen had their guns loaded with tear gas canisters. At the time, the crowd was trapped in an tunnel-like enclosed area. The group included BERSIH chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, Anwar Ibrahim, Wan Azizah, Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang and other leaders and participants.

For anybody in that circumstances could notice the danger of staying in the enclosure once the police fire the tear gas. The video footage only showed a few people rushed out toward the open air, and tear gas was fired directly into the crowd.

The video also showed that the police fired the tear gas canisters horizontally into the enclosed zone non-stopped. The police action was evidently malicious and intended to cause maximum harm to the peaceful group without warning. It was unprovoked and unwarranted action. It was police brutality.

Hundreds of eye-witnesses, so stop lying

Hundreds of people were eye-witnesses to the incident. The edited video cannot distort the truth. The government should accept the responsibility of excessive force against peaceful BERSIH rally. The witch-hunt whether on me or other participants cannot absolve the guilt of brutality on 9 July.

The video also showed that the police fired the tear gas canisters horizontally into the enclosed zone non-stop. At least 12 shells were fired in a matter of a couple of minutes. 3 persons suffered injury to the head. The injuries suffered by Anwar Ibrahim's bodyguard Fayyadh Afiq Al Baqry who had his left cheekbone crushed were particularly serious.

The police action was evidently malicious and intended to cause serious injury to the defenseless demonstrators. Use of tear gas in such a manner has been known to cause death.

The incident was eye-witnessed by hundreds of people and even the edited video cannot distort the truth. The government should accept the responsibility of excessive force against peaceful BERSIH rally. The witch-hunt whether on me or other participants cannot absolve the guilt of brutality on 9 July.

I call upon the police to cooperate fully with the impending SUHAKAM inquiry where I believe the facts will be presented by all interested parties in a public inquiry. Let the public then judge based on those facts.

Taken from Malaysian Chronicle

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PAS, PKR ridicule police’s video stunt

Jul 28: A short video documentary produced by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to tell its version of Bersih's massive rally on July 9 has been ridiculed by both PAS and PKR, saying no one had shown interest to the clip.
“The video made and aired by the police is definitely not capturing the interest of the public, and Information minister (Rais Yatim) was forced to promote the video. "If the video is interesting and shows the truth, the public will surely watch it without having to be told to do so,” said PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar (above).Earlier, it was reported that only the government-owned Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) had aired the clip following Rais's instruction, a move for which the police expressed its gratitude."We thank RTM for screening the video to show what actually happened during the July 9 illegal rally. By screening the video, we hope the public will get truthful and accurate information on the rally," said deputy inspector general of police Khalid Abu Bakar, who has been at the forefront of police action against Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat activities.The video clip by the police comes amidst accusations of police brutality on July 9, an allegation the police had refused to accept. Rais (above), who is the Information, Communication and Culture minister, had urged Malaysians to watch the video to get the "truth"."I urge all Malaysians to tune in to RTM and watch the true and accurate accounts of what happened and judge for themselves."We will air the actual scenes of the parties which carried out the illegal street demonstrations that day and they will have to answer as to who is lying," said Rais.Waste of fundsAccording to Mahfuz, public funds had been wasted in something that the public had no interest in.He added that other TV stations' refusal to broadcast the clip showed that they were aware of the public's lack of interest in government propaganda."If the police video is shown, the public will further distrust the TV stations. That’s why private TV stations have refused to air the video,” he said.PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (above) meanwhile said the police version revealed the "good" side of the police, because it chose to be honest and show how the people were violently treated on July 9.Saifuddin questioned why it took the police two weeks to produce the video, when releasing it immediately would have gained the clip more credibility.“The people are not stupid. This generation is not pre-Merdeka generation. In a blink of an eye, information can be accessed from all over the world,” said the Machang member of parliament.

Below video link  Click here to watch the police video on Bersih at PDRM's Facebook page Taken from Harakah

 

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Revenge or not, police haul up Surendran for "attempted murder" accusation

In a move that smacks of intimidation and revengefulness, police hauled up PKR vice president N Surendran for rebuking them over a brutal attack that badly injured several politicians including Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, his bodyguard and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad.

Surendran, who was also part of the group but escaped injury, had decsribed the police aggression as "attempted murder", a term that apparently upset the police and prompted them to grill him for nearly an hour at the Jalan Travers station this afternoon.

"“I stand by that statement irrespective how how many investigations they decide to institute against me," Surendran told reporters on Wednesday.

“I have been informed that the police lodged a report against me in relation to an article in The Malaysian Insider that said what happened at the KL Sentral underpass on July 9 is attempted murder. What I said earlier was that the circumstances in which the tear gas was fired into the underpass can cause great danger for those in the underpass and I asked for the matter to be categorised as attempted murder."

Police should be probing themselves

The 44-year-old human rights lawyer also slammed the police for picking on him rather than investigate the claims he made against them. Surendran had on July 20 accompanied Anwar's bodyguard Fayyahd Afiq Albakqry to lodge a complaint against the police aggression on July 9.

The group of Pakatan Rakyat leaders were making their way from KL Sentral to the Stadium Merdeka, when police surrounded them at an underpass. About a dozen teargas canisters were fired directly at them, prompting immediate fears of an asssassination attempt especially against Anwar, who is Prime Minister Najib Razak's arch rival.

In trying to shield Anwar, his bodyguard fractured his cheekbone, requiring 5 titanium plates to be inserted and reconstructive facial surgery to be carried out. Anwar hit his head on the pavement and had to be hospitalized, while Khalid Samad sustained a hit on the neck and was also badly injured.

“I am disappointed that instead of investigating the wrongful acts of the police in firing the tear gas, instead they are investigating me now. The thrust of the questions seems not to be on investigating the incident at the KL Sentral underpass but more towards exonorating the police of blame,” said Surendran.

The police had also denied causing PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu to fall off his bike and sustain serious injury to his leg. They even went so far as to question why he was moving around in a wheelchair. However, latest video clips show the police had indeed triggered the accident in their haste to block Mat Sabu away from the Bersih supported congregating near the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Revengeful

Surendran is being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for allegedly making statements that would jeopardise public order outside Dang Wangi police headquarters on July 20.

He has been anticipating the police might take 'revenge' after a senior cop told the national news agency Bernamathat criminal charges would be brought against those who made false complaints to the police.

"I refer to the press release by CID Deputy Director DCP Acryl Sani stating that criminal charges will be brought against persons who allegedly made false allegations of misconduct/brutality against police arising from the peaceful Bersih rally on 9.7.11. We view this statement as a mischievous and uncalled for threat against the public," Surendran had said in a statement issued late last night.

"It is the task of the police force to fairly and impartially investigate all public complaints of police misconduct. The issuance of such threats are calculated to instill fear into the puiblic and prevent them from airing grievances against the police department. No public service department maintained by tax-payers funds should conduct themselves in this manner or make such threats against the public. On the contrary, police should facilitate and encourage public complaints to ensure the integrity and proper functioning of the police force. The police force must never forget that their primary task is to serve and protect the public."

Taken from Malaysian Chronicle

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