Water demo: Police used 'excessive force'

The demonstration on Selangor water tariffs that started from the Masjid Negara this afternoon saw at least 48 people arrested.

Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah reported from Cheras general operations force police station that 52 are being held there, including PKR member Zahir Hassan.

Earlier, Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin reported that she was arrested along with 46 others; 32 protestors were loaded into a police truck and another 15 in a second.

"Out of the amount, 5 are students. There is an excessive use of force," she said.

This took place as police fired their water cannons and tear gas at the crowd in the vicinity of the Masjid, and about 300 police personnel marched into the protestors after the latter had failed to disperse despite continuous reminders to do so.

At least 20 tear gas shells, possibly more, were fired to break up the protest as the procession headed slowly towards the Istana Negara as planned.

Cops 'unprofessional'

Suhakam commissioner Mohd Shaani Abdullah said their personnel noticed some unprofessional conduct by the police.

"They have to be further trained. It is not their job to mendera (attack) and maki hamun (shout abuses) at the people. This is not proper as they have to be professional in their conduct."

"This results in hatred for the police. Maybe there is no permit, but they should not shout abusive words," he said.

Mohd Shaani said he will report the matter to Parliament.

Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad also agreed that the police had displayed an excessive use of force.

"We will bring this issue to Parliament," he said.

As for those arrested, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad (above, left) and Dzulkefly told the gathered that they will see to the detainees’ release.

According to Zuraida, the detainees in her group of 30 are: Abdul Aziz Noordin, Afrodi Ali, Kamaruzaman Mokthar, Mohamed Hafez Mat Som, Mohd Hussin Jala, Mohd Asyraf Mohd Dawam, Mohd Ezzuandi Ngadi, Mohd Saibani Wasim, Muhammad Faiz Mukmin Abd Mutalib, Noor Azwan Ramli, Nur Hadi Mohamad, Saharuddin Bakri, Syaiful Huzaimi Mohamed, Syed Ahmad Thani Tuan Hadi, Ustaz Fauzan and Zairul Izman Othman.

Earlier this morning at around 11.30am - before the start of the protest march - PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim and secretary general S Arutchelvan (below) were also picked up by the police at KL Sentral. 

Memo delivered to Istana

Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim meanwhile announced in a statement that they managed to hand their memorandum on reclaiming the state's water rights, along with 250,000 signatures, to the Istana Negara press officer Khairi Abdul Rahman at around 2.15pm.

“The federal government is dismissing the importance of the water issue to the rakyat. They ought to be supporting the state government in stopping an unfair water agreement (with Syabas) that only profits the concessionaire, while the welfare of the people is totally forgotten,” said Khalid (above, in light-coloured shirt).

He also regretted that the police had gone back on their promise to allow the peaceful gathering and made the numerous arrests.

“I urge the police to release them without further notice,” he said.

Meanwhile, former PKR supreme council member Zahir Hassan (above) who was brought to the General Operations Force (GOP) police headquarters in Cheras said that it was apparent that the police had been prepared to make mass arrests.

"There are at least four desktops and many more with laptops used by police, which are taking our particulars. Lawyers have not been allowed in to meet with us. I do not know when they will be allowed in," Zahir told Malaysiakini from the GOP headquarters.

"Police have yet to take our statements. We do not know what our offence is, as they have not related it to us," he said.

Those arrested are between 16 and 60, with all of the males at the GOP in Cheras.

Zahir said the police were in the process of releasing them after their details had been recorded.

'Arrested for wearing T shirts'

Meanwhile human rights NGO Suaram has condemned the heavy-handed police action and the “authority’s intolerance to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression” that saw the arrest of even a minor.

Suaram coordinator Hasbeemasputra Abu Bakar in a statement this evening in particular questioned why the three PSM members were arrested before the rally, “..for wearing red T-shirts and on the suspicion that they might be involved in an illegal assembly.”

Suaram condemned the police’s “brutal actions” that allegedly resulted in some injuries amongst the protestors.

“The Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar even went so far as to threaten Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim with arrest if he rejoined the rally after handing over the memorandum,” said Hasbeemasputra.

The NGO called on the immediate release of all the detainees, and is encouraging the public to write letters of protest to the government and the police “to express your strongest condemnation of the arrests and the ongoing denial of rights of expression and peaceful assembly” and to demand for “freedom of expression and assembly as stated under the Article 10 of the federal constitution”.

All 48 people said to have been arrested were released by 7.45pm, except for two persons who had failed to produce their identity cards.

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