JOHOR BAHRU: Johor regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has spoken out over an incident in which a member of his security personnel allegedly punched a deaf ride-hailing driver, saying there was a movement using the issue to drag down the royal institution.
In a statement released on X on Friday (May 31), Tunku Ismail added that any effort to link actions of an “external security personnel” with him and the entire royal institution “is uncalled for”.
Tunku Ismail’s post came following various criticisms on social media, including a statement by the Malaysia Deaf Advocacy and Well-being Organisation (DAWN) which stated that the 46-year-old driver, who worked for multinational Grab, was urged by the police to drop the case and agreed to be compensated.
“This incident could happen to anyone, and it has heightened the fears within the deaf community regarding their lack of protection, leaving them increasingly vulnerable. They may experience a further erosion of their rights, as the laws in Malaysia do not, in practice, favour the deaf and OKU (disabled) community,” said DAWN.
The association added that the driver was unable to defend his statement adequately and that the police should have engaged a sign-language interpreter to investigate the case.
On Wednesday, local media reported that police were investigating a case in which a member of the Johor regent’s security team had allegedly assaulted a disabled man outside St Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, after the driver was asked to move his car while waiting at the lobby.
A Free Malaysia Today report quoted a police official on Tuesday as saying: “There have been no arrests yet, so we don’t know why the man was assaulted. Even the disabled man who filed the report is not sure why he was assaulted.”
Local broadcaster Astro Awani subsequently reported that the e-hailing driver had retracted his report on the same day it was made, quoting police as saying that the individual wanted to “settle the matter peacefully without prolonging the case”.
According to Awani, the driver had initially made a police report alleging that he was hit in the head by a “bodyguard” while waiting for passengers at the hotel in Brickfields. After lodging the report, the driver was taken to Hospital Kuala Lumpur for treatment, the report added.
These reports have prompted criticism from various quarters including non-profit organisations and politicians, calling for police to probe the issue further even though the complaint had been withdrawn.
According to DAWN, quoted by local media platform The Vibes, the victim was allegedly pressured to settle the case for RM800 (US$170.00).
In its statement, DAWN also alleged that the driver was asked to return to the police station after he was treated at the hospital during which he was asked to surrender his phone.
“The victim received no explanation for the phone inspection or the prolonged retention of his phone, and was treated as if he were a suspect,” the statement said.
The deaf advocacy body added that the driver then requested his phone be returned to him for him to make a short text and video call to his wife, but this was declined.
“On what grounds was the victim’s mobile phone retained for police investigation? His privacy should have been fully respected, as he was the victim in this case,” it added.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Rusdi Isa, quoted in local media, said the complainant made a second police report on the evening of May 28, stating that the matter had been resolved amicably.
Tunku Ismail said that he was informed of the incident on Wednesday and had urged the Royal Malaysian Police’s security escort team to cooperate with investigations.
“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 the authorities will take action in accordance with the law and give the victim justice,” wrote Tunku Ismail.
“With this, I urge all quarters to allow the authorities to carry out the investigation. I am also aware that there is a movement to drag the royal institution by using this incident, but to link the actions of an external security personnel with myself and the entire royal institution is uncalled for,” he added.
Tunku Ismail was appointed Johor regent at the end of January after his father ascended the throne to become Malaysia’s Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a five-year term.
Prior to Tunku Ismail’s social media post on the incident, Pasir Gudang Member of Parliament Hassan Abdul Karim issued a statement, in which he claimed that the police should have continued with investigations because it had received a first information report which was lodged.
The Parti Keadilan politician, who is also a criminal defence lawyer, added that since the crime being alleged is physical assault which falls under the penal code, it is the police’s duty to call up the alleged assailant for questioning.
“The police need to open an investigation paper and record the assailant’s statement under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC),” he claimed.
The opposition coalition in the federal government Perikatan Nasional (PN) also issued a statement in support of Mr Hassan calling for police to proceed with investigations.
“The principles of the rule of law and the role of authorities as protectors of public interest must be upheld and seen to be practised in all circumstances, regardless of the position, influence, or status of the parties involved,” said PN’s chief whip Takiyudin Hassan.
“PN believes that issues such as selective prosecution, favouritism, cronyism, institutional bullying, the idea of ‘big fish and small fry’ and others have long corrupted public discourse without definitive resolution. These issues also colour almost the entire landscape and climate of our politics, including the country’s image in the eyes of the world,” he added.
CNA has reached out to the Royal Malaysia Police to clarify if further action will be taken on the member of the police escort team who allegedly committed the assault and whether they are proceeding with investigations.