A trader dealing in pirated VCDs alleged that he had been assaulted and handcuffed by several enforcement officers from the Penang domestic trade and consumer affairs department, during an anti-piracy operation in George Town last Wednesday evening.

Speaking at the Penang DAP headquarters in Jalan Talipon over the weekend, Yeoh Choon Hin, 24, alleged that this happened when he tried to stop the officers from arresting his wife during the raid on his sales outlet in Prangin Mall, Komtar.

"Several officers grabbed me from behind and one of them handcuffed me. I was punched several times on my face and body," claimed Yeoh, who said he sustained a swollen face and fractured bone on the right side of his chest.

In an immediate response, however, department director Fahmi Kasim accused Yeoh of lying and countered that it was the trader who had picked up a fight with an officer.

An enforcement officer, Mohd Saiful Baharin, 26, was allegedly kicked and punched when he tried to handcuff Yeoh. Saiful, who had received treatment, is now on medical leave.

"We did not try to arrest Yeoh's wife. We wanted to arrest him for selling pirated VCDs, DVDs and CDs, including pornographic materials," said Fahmi, who said 4,200 pirated materials, including 1,000 pornographic movies, had been seized during the raid.

Saiful said he had sustained a swollen face when he was punched several times by Yeoh during the struggle.

"I then hit him back to defend myself," he said.

Several other officers then overpowered Yeoh before handcuffing and escorting him to the nearby police headquarters lock-up in Jalan Patani. He was released on police bail last Thursday morning.

'Delayed treatment'

Yeoh further alleged that he was only taken to the Penang Hospital for medical treatment at 11pm on Wednesday, four hours after he had complained of chest pains.

Penang DAP organising secretary Danny Law Heng Kiang, who organised the press conference, urged the police to investigate the case immediately in the public interest.

Fahmi, who also called on the police to probe the matter swiftly, accused Yeoh and his friends of verbally abusing his officers.

"Yeoh even unzipped his pants and showed his private parts to a female officer. We have never been and never will be aggressive to traders during raids. Yeoh's allegations are fabricated lies," he claimed.

Police said they are investigating the matter.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini's Penang-based stringer.