FRU caused permanent injury, High Court told

 

As a result of a permanent injury - caused by the police during the first Bersih rally in 2007 - he has had to use a walking stick, a 38-year-old freelancer related to the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Aleyasak Hamid @ Hassan, from Kajang, Selangor said that he was an innocent bystander and had merely wanted to observe the Bersih rally when the incident on Nov 10, 2007 occurred.

He added that he was at the Kampung Baru mosque for afternoon prayers, and then he asked his aunt to send him to Dataran Merdeka, as he had never watched a big rally before.

"She dropped me at Kamdar Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. From there, I walked with the crowd towards Dataran Merdeka, and there I saw people reciting the doa and selawat. The situation was orderly, controlled and peaceful," he noted.

"Suddenly, I heard shouts of ‘run, run!’ and watched the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) approaching. Initially I sat at Dataran Merdeka, then after hearing the commotion I started to run, but fell near the big flower pots by the side of the road.

"Then the FRU officers surrounded me and kicked at my ribs. They stepped on my left knee and then I heard a ‘pop’ sound - I knew then that my knee was fractured," he told the court in answering to questions from his lawyer Latheefa Koya.

Aleyasak (left) was testifying in his suit where he named the Kuala Lumpur police chief, the Dang Wangi OCPD, the inspector-general of police and the government as defendants.

The plaintiff added that he could not run from the authorities following the fracture and he pleaded to the FRU to stop assaulting him.

Aleyasak said he shielded his face with his arm to prevent further assaults by the police.

“I pleaded to them to carry me to the police truck as they asked me to move there. However, my calls went unheeded and I walked to the truck in pain while the police continue to hurl verbal abuses at me. When I arrived at the truck, a policeman kicked my fractured knee and it hit the truck,” he said.

Surgery two days later

The plaintiff said surgery was performed on his leg at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) on Nov 12, and he had to undergo follow-up treatment at HKL and also at the Kajang Plaza Medical Centre till today.

Aleyasak said he lodged a police report over the incident, a day after the rally but till today no action has been taken.

He said that as a result of the injury, he could not do his job at a pest control company as he no longer had the strength to climb high places and lift things.

“As a result of the injury, I had to do odd jobs to support my family and by selling nasi lemak, goreng pisang (banana fritters) and giving tuition. My pay is not stable and depends on my personal business,” he said, adding that he also find it difficult to find a permanent job as a result of the injury.

“I am saddened that I could not be a a good father to my child as I cannot run or do activities which require physical strength,” Aleyasak said about the extent of his injury.

He produced reciepts for his treatment at HKL and Kajang Plaza Medical Centre and also the for the purchase of his walking stick as evidence in the trial.

The hearing continues before Judicial Commissioner Azizul Azmi bin Adnan tomorrow with testimonies from the former HKL doctor who treated him and two police officers.