Petty trader Murugan Rajoo, who is wheelchair-bound, was preparing for the day's business in front of a school in Rawang with the help of some friends last Friday, when he ran into trouble.

Soon after they arrived around 11am, five officers from the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) alighted from a van and confiscated the items and other equipment.

Murugan, 36, has been selling snacks from his stall - set up on the modified motorcycle that he uses - for the last couple of years.

"They didn't ask or say anything. They just came towards us and grabbed my belongings," he said when contacted today, after one of his friends informed malaysiakini about the incident.

While admitting that he was operating without a trading licence, he said he had submitted an application for one more than two years ago.

"What am I to do in the meantime? How am I suppose to feed my family?"asked the father of four.

Among those with Murugan was Gurdip Kaur @ Rina, her husband Francis Siva - who heads the Independent Living and Training Centre - and their daughter Harveen.

In the struggle to prevent a female officer from taking away a piece of equipment, Gurdip was slapped on the left side of her face.

"We were treated like criminals. Okay, so Murugan has not received his licence yet, but what else is he supposed to do?" questioned Francis.

Barrier to station

Deciding to lodge a police report, the group wheeled their way to the nearest police station in Rawang - almost 2km away - only to find themselves literally barred by the station's 'disabled-unfriendly' facilities.

Unable to wheel into the premises because of the high kerb, the group was made to wait for more than 20 minutes as none of the police officers offered assistance, claimed Francis.

"Mesra dan cepat' (friendly and quick service), the police motto says...what we got was anything but mesra or cepat," he said angrily.

Francis said the group was only given assistance when the acting officer in charge, Sjn-Major V Subramaniam, came outside and helped them to lodge their report - it took another 40 minutes to complete the process.

Commenting on the incident, Malaysian Coalition Against Discrimination of the Disabled legal advisor N Surendran said the incident illustrates the urgent need for police and local council staff and other civil servants to be put through courses on how to treat the disabled.

He said it also underscored the need for the government to enact the proposed Persons with Disabilities Act, as this would protect the disabled and eliminate discrimination against them.

Subramaniam could not be reached for comment this afternoon.

MPS explains

When contacted, MPS public relations director Zain Masoad said Murugan is one of several unlicensed petty traders selling goods in front and around the school.

He said they sell junk food and hazardous items such as laser-pointers and - during the festive seasons - even fireworks, to schoolchildren.

"We confiscated items from other traders as well that day. How could we let him go while taking action against the others?" he asked when contacted.

"What more are we supposed to do? Ask politely, 'Sir, can we confiscate your things?'..."

He said MPS had offered Murugan two alternative sites in Rawang to ply his trade, but that he rejected these offers.

Zain gave an assurance, however, that enforcement officials involved in last Friday's operation would be asked for clarification over allegations of physical abuse.

MPS has been responsive to the needs of the disabled, he said, as shown by its allocation of parking bays for the disabled, acting against motorists who park in these reserved lots, and donation of computers to groups representing the disabled.

This is the second time this month that Murugan's goods and equipment have been seized by MPS - in the earlier incident, he alleged that they had taken away his motorcycle.

A police report on the incident was lodged on Jan 8, followed by a memorandum to Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan. MPS has filed its own report with the police.