Killed for jumping a red light?

Another case of unnecessary police violence,
says Puchong MP Gobind

KUALA LUMPUR: An alleged traffic offender died last week after he was arrested and manhandled by four police officers in Medan Imbi, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo told a press conference today.

Gobind said the assault occurred at a restaurant and he had seen a video recording of it that was shot by a patron.

A report in China Press quoted police sources as saying that the victim, 53-year-old Chong Foo Ming, was foaming at the mouth after he was restrained and handcuffed. The report said police tried to flag him down after he had beaten a red light, but he sped off.

Gobind condemned the police action, saying the violence was unnecessary.

“Mr Chong was roughened up by a group of police officers,” he said. “After he was handcuffed, he was forced to lay down facing the ground . And then one of the police officers sat on top of him.

“If he had beaten a red light, why the need to apprehend him in that way?”

It is learnt that the policemen contacted an ambulance after noticing that Chong was foaming at the mouth. But he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Gobind said police had used excessive force and called for a thorough investigation.

Initial police reports said Chong died of a heart failure, but according to his daughter Doriss, the hospital found no heart complications or internal injuries.

“We demand an answer from the police,” Gobind said. “This victim was a very healthy man. This is confirmed by the hospital. The police cannot expect the family to sit back doing nothing. An explanation is needed.”

He said he would write to the Inspector General of Police today.

Gobind acknowledged that the cause of death was still uncertain.

“We are waiting for the chemist’s report,” he said. “First they claimed it was a heart attack, which was wrong. There was nothing wrong with the victim’s heart. We are waiting for a second opinion before we can confirm the cause of death.”

Distraught daughter

Doriss Chong said the officer in charge of the investigation initially told her that her father had been involved in an accident.

She said she learned about his alleged beating only when she went to the restaurant to retrieve his wallet. A witness told her that one of the policemen sat on Chong’s back for 30 minutes.

“The police called and said it was an accident,” Doriss told the press conference. “But later I was told that my father was arrested. When I asked for the reason for arrest, they refused to let me know.”

She said her father was a friendly man and an active member of RELA as well as the Puchong Security Association.

“He was very active in RELA. Everyone in Puchong knows him because he was a cheerful and kind hearted man. All I want is for this matter to be investigated, and I hope that justice will prevail.”
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