Seafield riot witnesses worried to come forward with evidence, Suhakam's help sought

Activist A Elangovan is claiming that witnesses of the riots outside the temple last month have been hesitant to come forth with evidence as they fear police action.

Speaking to the media today, Elangovan (above) alleged that this fear was driven by previous arrests made in connection with the incident.

“Previously, our witnesses have got so many videos and evidence but they are not willing to come forward, fearing that the police might arrest them.

“This is what happened before, the police randomly snapped photos from social media, cropped it and they posted it to printed media and social media asking them to come to the Subang Jaya district police station in the name of taking statements.

“And finally, they got arrested,” he said.

Elangovan further claimed that between “30 to 35 people”, including those who broadcasted themselves live on Facebook during the riots, had previously been arrested after giving their statements to the police. Some were remanded between three and 11 days, he said.

Malaysiakini is contacting the police for comment.

Inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun previously said that 42 people had been arrested in connection with the riots. A total of 24 people have been charged in court.

Suhakam agrees to be conduit

Representing the Malaysian Indian Education Transformation Association (Mieta) today, Elangovan had earlier led a group of NGOs to hand over a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

He asked if the commission could assist in offering witness protection by becoming a conduit of evidence between anonymous witnesses and the police.

For this arrangement, he mooted himself as a “collecting agent” of all video evidence from the public, adding that he was willing to speak to the police on behalf of the material.

In response, Suhakam chairperson Razali Ismail stressed that the commission will not interfere with the police’s investigation into the riots and could not guarantee that witnesses who supplied it with information would not be arrested.

He, however, agreed to accept and pass on all evidence presented to it by Elangovan.

“We will look at the videos and we will pass them to the police,” Razali said.

Also in agreement were Suhakam commissioners Mah Weng Kwai and Lok Yim Pheng.

Elangovan thus urged witnesses to come forward to him with evidence, reading aloud his mobile phone number - 017-299 1724 - and vowing to keep their identities confidential.

Suhakam will not probe riots

The memorandum had also urged Suhakam to launch its own “independent and open” probe into the riots, especially into the attack and death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim.

Suhakam declined the request as the police were already investigating the case.

The memorandum was signed by a total of 30 NGOs including the Malaysia Indian Action Force, the Malaysian Indian Youth Council and the Hindu Lawyer Association.

In the early hours of Nov 26, a group of thugs allegedly hired by the developer that owns the land on which the temple is located, had tried to take control of the building.

This led to a clash with Hindu devotees that escalated into rioting. The developer denied hiring thugs.

The following day, thousands of supporters gathered near the temple in a show of support, but the second round of rioting broke out.

Adib was part of a Fire and Rescue Department team that tried to put out the flames of torched vehicles that had been set ablaze by rioters.

According to authorities, Adib was attacked by rioters and suffered broken ribs and multiple organ injuries. He died on Dec 17. -Mkini