24-hr monitoring of Kg Medan incident
No
need for curfew as situation is under control. Meanwhile, Subang MP Tan
Sri Nijhar sets up 24-hour service centre to gather updates and offer
assistance on latest situation; contact Siva at 012-292-7373 or 5621-0232.
Posted on 03.34pm Mar 11, 2001
LATEST UPDATES
MONDAY March 12 , 2001 21:15pm
BERNAMA
reports: The MIC will look into providing aid to victims of the recent
clashes between two groups of residents in the vicinity of Jalan Klang
Lama here which claimed six lives.
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the party's Social Strategy
Foundation (YSS) will give out the assistance in three categories --
fatalities, the injured and property damaged.
Earlier, BERNAMA
provided an update for the casualty: Six people were killed and more
than 40 injured in the clashes between two groups of residents in Taman
Desaria and areas around Jalan Klang Lama. More than 170 people have
been arrested by police in connection with the
incidents.
***
By The usjXpress Team
Email: edteam@usj.com.my
If you want updates on the Kampung Medan incident, don't listen to rumours. Call the police direct line at 03-79559222 or 79562222.
You may also provide any updates to Subang Member of Parliament Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar's service centre at 03-56210232 or 012-2927373 (Mr Siva).
Nijhar has opened his service centre at Bandar Sunway round-the-clock
to assist the public to get the correct information on the situation in
nearby Kampung Medan.
His staff are also closely monitoring the situation at the service
centre situated at No. 32-2 Tingkat 1, Jalan PJS 8/6 Bandar Sunway.
It will remain open on 24-hour basis for as long as it needs.
Kampung Medan and the neighbouring Kampung Ghandi, Kampung Penaga,
Kampung Lindungan and Kampung Datuk Harun come under the state
constituency of Taman Medan, within the parliament constituency of Petaling Jaya Selatan.
The state assemblyman for Taman Medan is Puan Norkhaila Jamaluddin
(Tel: 03-5594282/5447759; Fax: 5593304), who is also the Selangor
executive councillor in charge of Welfare, Women Affairs and Culture,
while the MP is Donald Lim Siang Chai, who is also the parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Transport.
Petaling Jaya Selatan is adjacent to the Subang parliament constituency and connected by Jalan Klang Lama.
UNDER CONTROL
Five people have died, 37 injured including four seriously, following
clashes and attacks in Kampung Medan and neighbouring areas off Old
Klang Road since Thursday.
Among the 37 injured, 34 were Indians and three Malays.
As at Sunday 8.00am, the number of people arrested has increased to 153 from the original figure of 70.
Among those arrested were 88 Malays, 56 Indians, 7 Indonesian males and 2 Indonesian females.
Sunday morning, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Mohd Jamil Johari announced the latest casualty statistics, updating the one he first released in a BERNAMA newswire on Saturday.
Jamil said those arrested were residents in the area, except for
five who were army personnel attached to the Sungei Besi camp, and
another who was a member of the Volunteer Reserve Corps (RELA).
He said among the 96 weapons seized so far were eight home-made bombs,
parangs, knives, samurai swords, catapults, chains, steel pipes, batons
and axes.
He also said 16 vehicles were destroyed or damaged in the clashes including a lorry and two motorcycles which were burned.
Jamil said the clashes were sparked off by an incident on March 4
involving individuals from two groups who fought after a
misunderstanding.
He stressed that the situation is under control and there was no reason to impose curfew.
He said the police had created a safe passage for Taman Medan residents.
Jamil said that police would deploy more personnel to patrol the area
by sending members of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) from Perak and
Pahang.
He also said police had stepped up security with 692 personnel from the
police, Rela and St John's Ambulance stationed at the villages and
nearby housing estates.
He urged residents in Kampung Medan and nearby areas not to gather in groups to help ease the situation there.
Also present at the Saturday press conference were Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo,
Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Yaacob Amin, Selangor CPO Datuk Nik
Ismail Nik Yusoff, City CPO Datuk Meor Chek Hussein Mahayuddin, state
CID chief Datuk Mangsor Ismail and OCPD Asst Comm Sheikh Mustaffa
Sheikh Ahmad.
ASSURANCE
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressed confidence that the police would look after the safety of the people in the areas.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stressed that the situation "is now calm and under control.''
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who had two
meetings with Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Mohd Jamil
Johari over the situation, said he was satisfied with efforts taken by
police.
Samy Vellu added that police had been posted at "highly troubled pockets'' in the area.
He advised residents in Kampung Medan and Kampung Lindungan (PJS 8) areas to remain at home after dark.
He also said that Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo
had requested a meeting with residents of the areas on Thursday.
"I will be there with the mentri besar for the dialogue with the residents,'' he said.
DEATHS
The two who died at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre yesterday were
sub-contractor A. Ganesan, 29, and bellboy K. Muneiretnam, 43. They
suffered serious head injuries in separate attacks between 3am and 4am.
V. Segar, 34, who was seriously injured on Friday, died at the centre on Friday.
On Saturday, at the University Malaya Medical Centre's emergency ward,
Samy Vellu broke into tears when confronted by family members of K.
Muneirethnam, who died after being attacked in the area on his way home
from work.
"Everyone is asking me what to do. I can't do anything at the moment except to cry,'' said Samy Vellu.
According to THE SUNDAY STAR,
Muneirethnam, 43, died at the medical centre yesterday. He was found in
a pool of blood in Kampung Lindungan by ambulance workers at 4.30am.
His body had yet to be claimed by his wife and three children who were
stranded in their house because police had directed residents in the
area to stay indoors.
Samy Vellu said he would do everything possible to ensure the family carried out last rites for Muneirethnam.
| Remembering Kampung Medan: one year after | ||||
| ||||
There was a funeral, a wedding, and a misunderstanding over a broken van windscreen. These led to a full-blown racial clash in Petaling Jaya Selatan that left six people dead and scores others suffering from head injuries, slash wounds and broken bones. Photographs in malaysiakinis possession are gruesome evidence of the extensive hurt, both physical and emotional, inflicted by the clashes. One of the victims, V Vasu, 24, had both his hands hacked off by rampaging youths. Doctors managed to reattach his left hand but failed to save two of his fingers. There are several large stitch wounds on his forearm and on his wrist. There is also an unsightly wound on his palm. Another photograph shows a man with a 20cm healed wound from below the navel right up to the rib-cage. While a third shows a man with over 20 stitches on each wrist. The infamous incident, better known as the Kampung Medan clashes, took place exactly a year ago today. It is often compared to the racial riots of May 13, 1969 which was sparked off after an opposition partys election victory parade. The May 13 incident has been frequently used as a bogeyman during election time by the ruling coalition to urge the masses to reject the opposition, claiming that a bloody riot could recur. One wonders why the March 8 clashes had not been twisted to the ruling coalitions benefit as well? Apart from the six deaths, the four-day long clashes, also saw more than 40 people hospitalised. The majority of the victims were poor Indian Malaysians. The incident created a climate of fear, anxiety, suspicion and trauma as attackers armed with parangs, samurai swords, iron rods and sticks roamed the vicinity baying for blood. The government has been accused of denying the racial dimension of the clashes, perhaps concerned over Malaysias international image as it might rattle investor confidence. Until today, despite numerous memorandums sent to the Prime Ministers Department and Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), there has not been a show of a response. This has undoubtedly created dismay among the minority Indians in the country. The wedding tent The whole episode supposedly started with an Indian security guard returning from work at 3am on March 4. He found a tent erected for a wedding in the middle of the narrow road in Kampung Medan. He grew agitated and started kicking the tables and chairs. This angered the Malay family that was preparing for the wedding, who rushed out and assaulted him. He fled but returned later with a parang and five other cohorts. A fight broke out and at one point, the security guard fled to a nearby house, belonging to an Indian family, where a funeral wake was being held.. The group of Malays, who assumed he was a member of the household, then set fire to a car and two motorcycles parked nearby. This marked the beginning of the bloody clashes, which was further aggravated when an Indian boy, using a slingshot, smashed the windscreen of his neighbours vehicle. The angry van owner, an Indian, sought compensation from the childrens parents. He was joined by his driver, a Malay, but some villagers who saw the commotion thought that a Malay was threatening the Indians. Rumours began to spread and the rest is history. The fragile balance of inter-racial harmony was tipped with dire consequences neighbourhood quarrels led to a racial strife. The accounts A six-member team representing a network of NGOs for a Violence Free Community took upon themselves to record the names and injuries of the victims. Below are some of the details: March 8: A 26-year-old construction worker and his friend were returning to their homes in Kampung Semarak off Old Klang Road on a motorcycle at 10.30pm. They were attacked by about 50 youths carrying iron rods, wooden sticks and hockey sticks. His friend escaped, but the construction worker ended up with a broken right leg. Suresh, 19, sustained head injuries when he was assaulted by five people at about 10.30pm. The college student from Taman Medan was returning home when five to six youths obstructed his way. They asked him about his ethnic origin. When he told them, Suresh was attacked with sharp instruments and wooden sticks. He passed out. He suffered multiple slash wounds on the head and abdomen. He also suffered a deep slash which almost severed the wrist from his left hand. March 9: Mathavan was assaulted by a gang of youths when he was returning home on a motorcycle. He suffered a leg fracture and injuries on his hands. His motorcycle was torched. Annadurai was carrying goods in his van when youths attacked him near the Shell petrol station in Sri Manja (near Taman Medan). He suffered injuries on his head and hands. Security guard Kanan was assaulted in Kampung Medan while returning home from work. He had head injuries, a fractured leg and suffered a hemorrhage in his kidney. Rajathurai was on drips and on a resuscitation machine. Naharul Hisham sustained injuries on his hands and his fingers were almost severed. March 10: A fifth form student from Kampung Gandhi who was in Taman Medan with his brother at 3pm were chased by about 100 men on motorcycles, armed with samurai swords, wooden sticks and iron rods. The two were caught and assaulted. His brothers hands were almost severed. Norhashihadi was returning to Kampung Medan after work when he was attacked by 10 men. He suffered head injuries. In Sungei Way, Indonesian worker Sujari was attacked by six men while Yong So Lin was attacked by three. Muthukumar, from Bidor, Perak, was delivering fruits when he and his co-worker were attacked by youths in Kampung Datuk Harun. He sustained head injuries. Anbalakan was assaulted by a few youths when he stopped at the traffic light near Kampung Datuk Harun. He was on his way home to Sungai Buloh. He had leg injuries. Ramesan, a mute, was attacked in Kampung Medan, sustaining injuries on his legs and hands. March 11: Sahjahan, a Bangladeshi factory worker, was attacked by a man in Sungei Way. He fell unconscious and sustained injuries on his head and hands. Kathirvelu had nose and head injuries. Thinakaran had injuries on his hand and leg. Parthiban, 19, had stitches on the face and head. Anbarasan had injuries on his legs, hands and ear. March 12: Subramaniam was travelling from Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur to his home in Sri Sentosa when he was assaulted. He had injuries on his head and back. Bakhshish Elahi, a Pakistani, and his partner were assaulted in a lorry by about 100 youths armed with pipes, swords and parangs. He had injuries on his head, legs and hand. March 13: A lorry driver and a factory supervisor were attacked by youths with parangs. Four fingers on the supervisors right hand were almost severed. He also had two slash wounds across his shoulders. The lorry driver's fingers on his left hand were almost severed. He also suffered a slash wound to the back of the head. In the aftermath Following the bloody clashes, a group of concerned citizens comprising non-governmental organisations and individuals came together to draw-up a memorandum that was sent to the Prime Ministers Department, after failing to hand it personally to premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Parliament House last year. In the memorandum, the group asked that financial support be provided for the affected families as the victims were from the lower-income group such as petty traders, lorry drivers and factory workers. And some families had lost their breadwinner. The group asked for immediate socio-economic development programmes aimed at providing adequate housing, sanitation, community centres, recreational facilities, public amenities and places of worship in Kampung Medan and the affected areas. The poorest of them, regardless of their ethnic background, should be given further aid to own houses. There was a request for the setting up of a special multi-ethnic police task force as the police were perceived to have acted sluggishly during the first three days of the clashes. Only a multi-ethnic police force would be able to handle Kampung Medan-type of conflicts that involve racial dimensions, said the memorandum. The communities living in the affected areas have long been suffering from drug and gang related problems. These problems, however, are not merely confined to the Kampung Medan area. Therefore, the setting up of a national task force was in order to take a holistic approach to resolve the problems. The memorandum said Malaysians from all walks of life face racial discrimination and religious intolerance. Taking the Kampung Medan incident as a cue, it called for a Race Relations Commission be set up in order to eradicate unfair discrimination. However, there has been no response to the memorandum, and no Royal Commission of Inquiry into the matter. A political party, Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia (Prim), has also been pressuring the government for adequate compensation and to investigate the cause of the clashes. In the aftermath of the clashes, a BBC news article dated March 18, 2001 reported: Today, it is clear that beneath the normally tranquil surface of Malaysian society, dangerous tensions of the potential for violence still lurks. |
We followed with great interest the formation of the Kuala Lumpur
War Crimes Commission and the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal
encompassing many eminent personalities and jurists and with noble
motives to stop war crimes. We are however embarrassed that this august
body should be lead by Tun Dr.Mahathir Mohamed for the following
reasons:-
1. It would be six (6) years on March 8th 2007 when all of a sudden
and out of the blue one day, peaceful Malaysia witnessed the killings
of six (6) and 100 over innocent Malaysians of ethnic Indian origin
were seriously injured (Note: Kindly refer to our official website www.policewatchmalaysia.com for graphic pictures, letters and memorandums on this tragedy).
2. According to the official countdown in our aforesaid official
website as at today it has been 2,167 days since this tragedy and there
has been pin drop silence.
3. Despite scores of appeals there has been no Royal Commission of
Inquiry held, no Inquest and also no Parlimentary White Paper released
as was promised by Tun Dr. Mahathir and neither has any criminal been
properly prosecuted for those serious crimes.
4. These peace loving victims who were living peacefully in the
working class neighbourhood of Kampung Medan were suddenly attacked,
unprovoked by a mysterious Malay Muslim mob from outside Kampung Medan.
5. The International Herald Tribune newsreport on 12/3/2001 reported
that a group of policemen remained silent and watched quietly while one
Muniratnam, a member of the said minority Malaysian Indian Community
was beaten up to death right before their eyes. In fact the police also
stopped one Parameswary Batumalai (28) and a dozen other villagers from
helping / going to the rescue of the said Muniratnam (ref: International Herald Tribune, 2001).
6. We made an urgent appeal to Tun Dr.Mahathir as the then Prime
Minister to intervene and immediately stop this unprecedented violence.
Tun Dr.Mahathir however allowed this violence to continue for fifteen
days in a row from 8/3/2001 to 23/3/2001.
7. With a complete media blackout Tun Dr.Mahathir was successful in
making this incident turn out to be “racial clashes” when it was in
fact a racial attack.
8. If it was racial clashes, how come almost all the dead and the
injured were on one side i.e. the ethnic minority Malaysian Indians. We
have also questioned Tun Dr. Mahathir that if he could not contain this
violence in a mere 10 square kilometer area how then would he protect
the whole of Malaysia? In short there was a full scale cover up by Tun
Dr.Mahathir.
9. These 100 over victims were also never compensated.
10. Our police report dated 7/4/2001 and scores of the other victim’s police reports were never investigated.
11. To add insult to injury the Malaysian Human Rights Commission
(Suhakam) has filed RM20,000.00 as the Bill of costs when a victim
(applicant) was unsuccessful in his attempt to apply to the Kuala
Lumpur High Court to order an Open Inquiry into this tragedy (Note: On
Suhakam’s application this said civil suit was earlier dismissed ab
initio without even Suhakam having to reply to the victim applicant’s
very serious allegations of state sponsored crime).
12. Tun Dr. Mahathir has in effect got off scot-free after having been behind this “mini genocide” right at his doorsteps.
13. Tun Dr. Mahathir’s hands are still soiled with blood from the war crimes in Kampung Medan (but during peacetime).
14. Up to now there are no records of Tun Dr. Mahathir having
condemned this violence and/or tendering an apology for what had
happened.
15. Malaysians especially of ethnic minority Indian origin have
neither forgiven nor forgotten this Tun Dr. Mahathir’s worst case of
human rights violations in Malaysia (but which got the least attention).
16. But today Tun Dr. Mahathir has gone international and has led
condemnation of war criminals in other countries when his own hands are
blood stained in his very own country.
Tun Dr. Mahathir, we are ashamed of you leading this august body.
Only leaders with clean hands deserve to lead this body. Please make
way for a leader with clean hands. (Note: “He who goes to equity must
go with clean hands”).
Thank You,
Yours Faithfully.
P.Uthayakumar,
Legal Adviser
POLICE WATCH AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE
SUITE 8-10-5 (A) MENARA MUTIARA BANGSAR
JALAN LIKU OFF JALAN RIONG
BANGSAR 59100 KUALA LUMPUR
TEL : 03-22831940 / FAX : 03-22825616
TAN SRI ABU TALIB 6/11/2003
CHAIRMAN BY FAX:26125620
SUHAKAM BY HAND
TINGKAT 29 MENARA TUN RAZAK
JALAN RAJA LAUT 50350 KUALA LUMPUR
Dear Sirs,
RE:
INCORRECT / MISLEADING STATEMENT ON THE KG MEDAN RACIAL ATTACKS GIVEN
BY SUHAKAM COMMISSIONER Y.BHG DATO K.C.VOHRAH AT CONFERENCE AND PUBLIC
FORUM ON TORTURE ON 1/11/2003 AT STANFORD HOTEL ORGANISED BY SUARAM AND
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIA.
With reference to the above
matter, may we bring the following matter to your kind attention where
we present and Suhakam Commissioner Y.Bhg Dato K.C.Vohrah was also
present and made an incorrect / misleading statement on the Kg.Medan
Racial attacks (not racial clashes)
The learned Commissioner Y.Bhg Dato K.C.Vohrah made a statement that:-
1.
Suhakam sent their people to Kg.Medan and the victim’s statement to
Suhakam contradicted the statements made by the ten (10) victims in
their police report which was forwarded by Parti Reformasi Insan
Malaysia to Suhakam (vide their Memorandum titled “TIADA PERLINDUNGAN
POLIS UNTUK MASYARAKAT INDIA DI KAMPUNG LINDUNGAN DAN KAWASAN
PERSEKITARANYA and dated 30/6/2002 .
2. That Suhakam is unable to hold an Inquiry/ Open. Inquiry as there is a pending Civil Suit.
May
we bring to your kind attention and with due respect to Y.Bhg Dato
K.C.Vohrah that these statements are non-starters for the following
reasons:-
1. There is nothing to contradict in the first place
as up to date this whole episode remains a “mystery” and the victims do
not know why, who and the reasons why they were attacked especially
when there was no provocation.
2. The only information given by
the said (10) victim’s in their police reports merely related the time
and how they were attacked, the injuries they sustained and that they
do not know the identities of their attackers as they were not from the
Kg.Medan area.
3. There cannot possibly be a contradiction to this as the facts related are the very basic facts in disputable.
4.
The statement that Suhakam is unable to hold an Inquiry / Open Inquiry
with respect does not hold water as the Plaintiff’s application was
long dismissed by the High Court on 17th February 2003
5. Though
there is an appeal pending to the Court of Appeal, the Plaintiff has
never applied for a stay of execution and as it stands the Plaintiff’s
application stands dismissed.
6. In any event the Plaintiff’s
Solicitors have vide their letters dated 28/5/2002 offered to withdraw
their Civil Action if Suhakam is agreeable to hold on Inquiry / Open
Inquiry.
We have today spoken to the Plaintiff’s Solicitor Mr.
M. Manoharan of M/S M.Manoharan & Co who confirms that Suhakam is
yet to reply to this letter dated 28/5/2003.
Mr. M. Manoharan
also confirms that the “amicable offer” still stands and that his
client Mr. Subramaniam is prepared to withdraw his civil suit if
Suhakam is prepared to and commence the Inquiry / Open Inquiry.
In
any event kindly let us have your “alleged contradictory victims
statements” within seven (7) days from the date hereof failing which we
shall presume that the statement uttered is incorrect and / or the same
does not exist and that your goodselves are not to repeat the same in
any public functions / meetings.
We are “trying to understand”
that for “obvious” reasons Suhakam does not want to hold an Inquiry /
Open Inquiry but please do not link it with the Civil Suit any more as
the same does not hold water especially with the aforesaid explanation.
The
least Suhakam could do is to support our appeal to the Government to
declare this episode a National Tragedy and to appropriately and
adequately compensate the 100 over innocent victims and their families
who to date have been given “peanuts” for example giving out hampers
and one low cost house costing RM25,000.00 for three innocent victims
who lost their lives. Is this how cheap a human life in Malaysia costs.
Is this the price tag for Human Rights in Malaysia.
Your
goodselves cannot deny that the Kg.Medan tragedy involves the worst
form of violations of Human Rights in the History of Malaysia and yet
despite about 20 letters, Memorandums etc your goodselves have failed /
neglected committed to commence an Inquiry / Open Inquiry
We are
sure Suhakam could perform better than merely collecting data, paying
and compiling lip service playing to the gallery and giving hollow
excuses for not commencing an Inquiry / Open Inquiry.
MALAYSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SHOULD NOT BE A HUMAN RIGHTS OMMISSION.
Thank you
Yours faithfully,
R.N RAJAH,
CHAIRMAN, (PRO-TEM)
POLICE WATCH AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE
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