Chegubard angry at police for pulling disappearing act

Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin is upset at the police which he said pulled a disappearing act after a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah was heckled in Johor.

Badrul Hisham, or more popularly known by his blog name Chegubard, said he was a speaker at a DAP-organised ceramah at Sri Alam PAS headquarters in Masai last night.

However, he said that as soon as the programme started at 9pm, a group of 10 to 12 youths locked themselves in a community hall some 50 metres away and drowned their ceramah by blasting recordings of other ceramah.

"The locals identified them as being linked to Umno and the community hall had already been converted to a BN operations room," he claimed when contacted.

At this, Badrul Hisham said he had repeatedly used his microphone on stage, calling out for the police to act against the provocation but both plainclothes and uniformed police officers mysteriously faded away.

"I called out thrice for the police to come forward and the crowd also called for them but none came forward.

"I was sure there was police there because a plainclothes police officer had set a video camera in front of the stage," he said.

He added that the harassment had taken place despite the Pakatan ceramah having received the go-ahead from the police two weeks prior to the event.

'Missing' video camera stirs police

As anger at the provocation mounted, Badrul Hisham said he had the camera carted away for safety as some in the angry audience had approached it.

Despite the apparent 'absence' of police, Badrul Hisham said he later received a call that night from Johor special branch chief Ramli Hassan while en route to Seremban for another event, asking that the camera be returned.

"I explained that I did not steal the camera, I was merely worried for its safety and that I would return it to the police the next day," he said.

He added that one Inspector Chin from the Sri Alam district police headquarters had also contacted him and he again assured the police that the camera would be returned.

However, Badrul Hisham said he was vexed to find out that police had detained four DAP ceramah organisers until 4am, asking them to convince him to return the camera immediately.

Supporters had also gathered outside the police station in solidarity.

"I called Chin and told him that he was behaving like (Filipino terrorist group) Abu Sayaf, and that he was holding hostage the organisers for the camera but he claimed that they were only there on their own free will... who simply hangs out at the police station?" he said.

Badrul Hisham said he made good on his word and returned the camera at the Seremban Two police station at 11.45am today and was also greeted by a team of police officers from the Sri Alam district headquarters.

"I also lodged a police report about the provocation, the police inaction and the police officer who set up the camera but disappeared when called upon," he said.

He added that both the Negeri Sembilan and Johor police also recorded separate statements from him which took approximately three hours.

"The police admitted that there were shortcomings that night and have promised to take action.

"If there no action is forthcoming within a week, I will have to lodge a complaint with the Bukit Aman disciplinary division," he said.