Police ‘hit’ Tian Chua’s vehicle before arresting him, say witnesses
BY LOOI SUE-CHERN
Published: 3 May 2015 9:39 AM
Aide to Batu MP Chua Tian Chang, Mohd Huraimi Mohd Husri (centre) tells Pakatan Rakyat supporters and media members of how Chua was arrested at Seberang Jaya last night. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, May 3, 2015.His car was hit and he was treated roughly by the police when Batu MP Chua Tian Chang was arrested last night, two people who witnessed the incident said.
Mohd Huraimi Husri, 18, who was an aide to the PKR lawmaker, said that Chua had received word that he was wanted by the police last night.
"He knew earlier but he instructed me to drive us to Yayasan Aman. He thought the arrest could be conducted properly at Yayasan Aman.
"But when we were at the Seberang Jaya traffic light, a car hit our vehicle on the side and forced us to stop.
"The cops then came and detained YB Tian (Chua). They just dragged him from his seat and forced him into their vehicle," he told reporters outside the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters early this morning.
Huraimi was describing how the arrest was made after Chua had just finished speaking at a Permatang Pauh by-election ceramah in Seberang Jaya at about 11.40pm last night.
Huraimi added that he secretly took pictures of the incident but was found out by the police.
Scratches on Batu MP Chua Tian Chang's car allegedly caused when the police allegedly hit his car before arresting him in Seberang Jaya last night. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, May 3, 2015."One policeman came to me, hit me on the head, snatched my phone and pushed me to the ground.
"After they had YB Tian in their car, I went back into our car but a policeman ordered me not to follow them."
He said that he then went to the nearest PKR polling district centre for help and was advised to lodge a police report over what had happened.
Apart from Chua, who is better known as Tian Chua, and Huraimi, PKR member Chin Sim Pang, 55, also witnessed the incident, as he was in the car with them.
Chin said that there were about 10 policemen in two cars and on motorcycles
He was in the back seat behind Chua and Huraimi and said that the PKR vice-president had argued with the police who stopped them and demanded to know why they were taking him.
He said that Chua stood his ground about going to Yayasan Aman in Penanti but the police did not listen.
"He told them he wanted to go to Yayasan Aman and there was an argument. He didn't want to get out of the car. The police then pulled him out of the car and forced him into theirs.
"I quickly took a video of how they pushed him and pulled his hair but two policemen saw what I was doing and grabbed me, ordering me to delete everything.
"I said I couldn't do it... so they sent me here (to district police headquarters)," he said adding that his phone was taken and everything stored in it was deleted without his permission.
Chin said that the police told him they were also sending his phone to Kuala Lumpur.
He was also injured on his head as a result of the commotion. It was believed that it happened when the police forced him into the car.
Chua was picked up by the police in Penang at about 11.40pm last night. He was detained by the police on Jalan Tuna in Seberang Jaya where he gave a ceramah.
After midnight, he posted a series of tweets that the police had allegedly intercepted his car in the middle of the highway, roughly dragged him out, hit his head and pulled his hair.
He also wrote that he was taken to the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters before being taken to Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
Subang MP R. Sivarasa, several other PKR elected reps and party members gathered at Seberang Prai Tengah police headquarters shortly after midnight as soon as they heard about Chua's arrest.
The elected reps also went into the police station to lodge reports over the alleged manhandling.
Sivarasa said that they would be returning to the police headquarters to give their statements at 2pm.
Sivarasa, who is a lawyer, said as an MP, Chua would have surrendered himself to the police at a more appropriate time.
"We consider this an outrageous conduct. It was like arresting an armed criminal on the run.
"(They) grab the criminal and take him out, like on TV. They badly treated Chua like he was a criminal."
Sivarasa questioned Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar why his officers were behaving like "armed bandits wearing uniforms".
"You can quote me on that," he told reporters after exiting the police headquarters. – May 3, 2015.
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