1-6-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A disabled e-hailing driver, Ong Ing Keong, has recounted his alleged assault by an escort of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, at a press conference held at the Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) office in Petaling Jaya.
Speaking through a sign language interpreter, Ong, 46, detailed the incident that took place at the Brickfields police headquarters. He revealed that a representative from the Johor palace was present during his interaction with the police.
When asked how he knew the person was from the palace, Ong explained through his interpreter, “A police officer wrote it down for me.”
Ong further disclosed that the same police officer had prepared a second report and instructed him to sign it.
Regarding the options he was presented with, Ong claimed he was given a choice: either proceed with the report, which would result in his phone being confiscated for investigation, or drop the case and accept compensation. Feeling pressured, Ong chose the latter, fearing he would lose communication with his friends and family if his phone was taken.
Ong also stated that the officer warned him that if the case went to court, his phone would be seized. “I was in a dilemma, unsure of what to do and why they wanted to take my phone,” he said.
After deciding to drop the report, Ong alleged that the officer asked him how much compensation he needed for his medical treatment. Initially offered RM500, Ong negotiated for RM1,000 but eventually settled for RM800.
Ong revealed part of his conversation with the palace representative, questioning the absence of the assailant at the police station. “I asked, where is the person who hit me? Why isn’t he here?” Ong recounted. “The representative said, ‘Oh, he’s busy working.'”
He also claimed that police officers closely monitored his movements at the station, even following him to the bathroom. In the bathroom, Ong used his second phone to message his friend “Phillip” and his wife for advice.
Throughout the ordeal, Ong stated he was not provided with a sign language interpreter and relied on Phillip to interpret via WhatsApp.
LFL advisor Latheefa Koya emphasised that the press conference aimed to clarify conflicting statements made by various parties regarding Ong’s experience. She stressed the importance of Ong sharing his story based on his personal experience over the past few days. “There have been too many contradictory statements claiming the matter is resolved and he wants to move on,” Latheefa said. “But you can hear directly from him today that he wants justice. He is not satisfied with what has happened to him.”
With the help of an interpreter, Anthony Chong, Secretary-General of the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (Dawn), highlighted the significance of recognising that not all deaf individuals in Malaysia are proficient in Malay or English due to their educational backgrounds. “We feel the police should protect the public and be aware of the communication accessibility needs of people with disabilities,” Chong added.
In a previous statement, Dawn mentioned that Ong’s son had passed away only three weeks earlier, exacerbating his distress in dealing with the situation.
LFL will accompany Ong to the Brickfields district police headquarters tomorrow at 11:30 AM to record his statement. LFL Director Zaid Malek and advisor N Surendran will also be present.
