SUHAKAM
Report of Public Inquiry into the Incidents During and
After the Public Assembly of 28 April 2012
28
arms raised up in the air. Just as he finished his sentence, W21 was hit on the
back of his head. His companion, who was still at the cafeteria was also wearing
a yellow BERSIH T-shirt, although she was not arrested. She removed it and the
police confiscated her T-shirt. Later, the policeman dragged W21 from Citin Hotel
to Dataran Merdeka. On the way, he was kicked by other police personnel. The
policeman dragging him also told him “kenapa you datang sini, you tak tahu ini
illegal?”25
3.30 Selamat bin Abul Hamid (W30) was at the Swiss Hotel on Jalan Tuanku Abdul
Rahman with his wife and 4 children from ages 3-17. In the afternoon, he
contemplated participating in the assembly. However, as he opened the lobby’s
door, the smell of tear gas made him turn back into the hotel. At that time, the
lobby was crowded and full of people trying to escape the tear gas. He could also
see that some were injured. After 10-15 minutes, 15-20 police personnel barged
into the hotel and started to hit and kick those in the lobby. The police personnel
shouted at those still in the lobby and instructed them to leave the hotel. W30
was physically pulled out together with his family and was detained near Dataran
Merdeka.
3.31 Arshad bin Abbas (W5) said that those performing their prayers at Masjid Jamek
around 2.00-3.00 pm were not allowed to leave the compound of the mosque via
the main gate as it was being blocked by FRU personnel. However, he did notice
that there was an exit point at the back of the mosque.
3.32 Baharudin bin Hashim (W2) testified that he was shopping at the SOGO shopping
complex from the morning and at about 2.00 pm, he heard a commotion. He saw
a few police personnel entering the shopping mall, and some men running as if
they were being chased.
3.33 Chen Shaua Fui (W15) witnessed a man who was wearing a yellow BERSIH T-shirt
and having a meal at a mamak restaurant (near the LRT Masjid Jamek) being
dragged out by a group of police personnel.
Testimonies from Journalists
3.34 Chen Shaua Fui (W15) is a reporter with Merdeka Review, an online news portal.
While taking photographs of the police assaulting some participants, she was
reprimanded by them and warned not to take any photographs, even after
showing her media identification tag. While attempting to take photographs of
25
“Why did you come here? Don’t you know this (demonstration) is illegal?”