Coordinators of the protests against the presence of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa in Kuala Lumpur have distanced themselves from a series of related assault cases over the last two days.

Penang Society for Advancement of Tamils, Satees Muniandy, told Malaysiakini that the coordinators condemned the latest reported assault on Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia Ibrahim Ansar at Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday.

“There was no protest held by us yesterday anywhere in Kuala Lumpur and the incident was totally unrelated to any of the organisations that took part in our peaceful protests,” Satees said.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar had earlier today confirmed the assault, Bernama reported.

The second case, Satees said, took place last Friday, at the Sentul Buddhist Temple where the chief monk was assaulted by several individuals from a group of some 50 people who earlier protested outside Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).

“The Buddhist monk was allegedly assaulted after most of the protesters had dispersed peacefully.

“We immediately condemned the incident, and left it to the authorities to take action,” he said.

At the PWTC, Satees said, an unidentified protester, whom he believed was acting as an “agent provocateur”, had thrown a plastic water bottle at a Federal Reserve Unit officer on duty and sparked a brief commotion.

“However, the frontliners, including me, managed to control the situation and calmed both sides to enable the protest to continue peacefully,” he added.

Satees said the coordinators also condemned the government and police inaction over their repeated calls to deny Rajapaksa entry into Malaysia.

“Hundreds of police reports were made against the visit of the war criminal, but yet the police took it lightly. The IGP should have advised the government in the matter.

“The government and police inaction have led to the back-to-back protests being held from Sept 1 to 3 at the PWTC,” Satees said.

Malaysian Indian Progressive Association secretary-general S Bharathidasan, who was also one of the protest coordinators, told Malaysiakini that it was understood three people have been arrested in relation to the incidents.

“As far as I know, three arrests were made… they could be a part of the protests as participants, but not as a leader,” Bharathidasan said.

Police have so far yet to confirm any details with regard to the purported arrests.