KUALA LUMPUR – Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has urged police to thoroughly investigate the alleged assault of an e-hailing driver with a disability by a member of his escort team, following reports that the case had been settled with a RM800 payment.
He said he was informed about the alleged assault at the St Regis Hotel Kuala Lumpur a day after the incident occurred on Monday and had immediately told the security escort team to cooperate with the investigation.
“I do not condone any illegal action or intimidation. I urge the authorities to investigate thoroughly the incident where a police officer escort is alleged to have committed a harmful act.
“I hope authorities will take action in accordance with the law and give the victim justice,” Tunku Ismail said on X.
“I urge all quarters to allow authorities to carry out the investigation,” the crown prince added.
However, he also condemned attempts to tarnish the monarchy through the incident.
“To link the actions of an external security personnel with myself and the entire royal institution is uncalled for.”
The alleged assault by an escort of “a VIP” was confirmed on Tuesday by Bukit Aman’s criminal investigation department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.
He said an investigation paper had been opened under Section 323 of the Penal Code on voluntarily causing hurt.
However, KL police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa later said the victim had lodged a second police report to state that the matter had been settled and that he did not wish to prolong the issue.
The “settlement” of RM800 was revealed by the victim in a press statement issued through the Malaysian Deaf Advocacy and Well-being Organisation.
The 46-year-old victim said he felt “pressured” into dropping his initial police report on the altercation after being told at the Brickfields station of two options – be compensated if he dropped his complaint, or have his phone confiscated and the matter brought to court if he pursued the case.
Following Rusdi’s statement, legal rights group Lawyers for Liberty yesterday said even if the victim had lodged a second police report to state that the matter had been resolved, police have a statutory duty to continue investigating the alleged offence because of its criminal nature.
Rusdi today said the matter is still under investigation, according to Malaysiakini.
Police cannot close or settle such cases as the decision lies with the public prosecutor, the news portal quoted him as saying.
The probe will follow due process and findings will be handed to the deputy public prosecutor for further action, he added. – May 31, 2024