ASSAULTED, CUFFED BY AUXILIARY POLICE, BERNAMA PHOTOGRAPHER LODGES POLICE REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- A photographer of the Malaysian National
News Agency (Bernama) agency has lodged a police report that he was assaulted,
cuffed and threatened by auxiliary policemen (APs) at the Bandar Tasik Selatan
Integrated Bus Terminal while discharging official duties at the terminal
Sunday.

Hairul Nizam Baharin, 37, lodged the report at the Jalan Tun Razak police
here station at 7.30pm.

He said he was subjected to the treatment after he refused to stop when his
motorcycle was flagged down by some eight APs on completion of his assignment in
the terminal area at 11.45am.

Hairul said he did not want to stop his motorcycle because he did not know
what their purpose was in wanting him to do so.

"However, after about 500 metres they intercepted my motorcycle and seized
its key. When I asked them why they did this, no answer was forthcoming," he
said.

He said they then asked for his identification card and when he refused
to
give it, one of them with sergeant rank manhandled him.

"When I told him he had no right to touch me, he appeared angry and landed a
punch on my lips which caused it to bleed," he said.

"Then the others joined in and resorted to hitting my helmet and raining
blows on my body. They then prised off my helmet, I became very frightened and
asked them to release me.

"One of them ordered another AP to cuff me to which I shouted back that they
had no right to do this as I was not a thief," he said.

He said while handcuffed they then brought him to the police station at the
terminal to lodge a police report and at it the policeman on duty told them to
remove the hand cuffs.

Hairul said he had never been treated as such in discharging his duties for
Bernama's Photo Unit and lodged the police report to seek redress.

-- BERNAMA