Lawyer: Cops denied assault before proper probe
The Perak police denial in assaulting student protesters at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) is "prejudiced" because it was made before proper investigations.
The Perak police denial in assaulting student protesters at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) is "prejudiced" because it was made before proper investigations.
Mohd Khairuddin Othman, lawyer for one of the victims Muhammad Safwan Anang (left), said this was evident as a statement was recorded from his client only today.
"The Perak police chief's statement is prejudiced... an investigating officer only came to record Safwan's statement at 1pm today," Khairuddin said.
The student's statement was taken today following a police report lodged by a witness of the alleged assault.
Khairuddin was speaking to reporters after Safwan was discharged from the Slim River Hospital this afternoon.
Police had claimed that the Universiti Malaya student had sustained injuries in a fall and that there was no scuffle at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris on New Year's Eve.
Muhammad Safwan, 23, collapsed in fits during the scuffle with police when police tried to break up a student sit-in for academic freedom outside the university campus in Tanjung Malim.
Preparing for legal action
The student claims he was assaulted by police and sustained injuries to his face and chest and that he still suffered difficulty in breathing. 
“He was discharged today upon doctor's orders, although we wonder why he is discharged so soon as he is evidently still weak,” Khairuddin (right) said.
He added that his client was preparing to take legal action against the police on the matter.
“We are compiling evidence. There is evidence to show that excessive force was used to break up a peaceful demonstration,” he said.
Answering a question posed to his client, who was brought out of the hospital building in a wheelchair, Khairuddin declined to comment on claims that the students had provoked the police.
Police say 17 students were arrested in the bloody incident, including UPSI student leader Adam Adli Abdul Halim, who is facing a university inquiry for lowering a flag with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's face printed on at the Umno headquarters last month.
