PKR slams police violence against students: No call to beat them into a coma

KEADILAN condemns the decision by the police including the FRU to violently disperse students who were peacefully assembling in front of Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris early this morning.
It is understood about 100 students assembled in front of UPSI last night to protest the University and University Colleges Act as well as demanding that the university drop the charges against Adam Adli. Adam is an UPSI student who made the news for replacing a flag depicting the Prime Minister’s face with a banner proclaiming academic freedom.
The police, including two FRU trucks and Special Branch officers were heavily present and at 2.30 am, when the students refused to disperse, acted violently.

Beaten into a coma
One of the students, Muhammad Safwan Anang was beaten up by an estimated eight policeman and SB officers before he was taken away by his colleagues to the Slim River Hospital. He fell into a coma and suffered a broken cheekbone before gaining consciousness.
Until now it is confirmed that at least 17 students including Adam Adli has been arrested by the police.
The students have claimed that several journalists who showed their press passes were also beaten up by the police.
The police action today is in drastic contrast to their respectful actions during the student march to PWTC that resulted in the unfurling of the academic freedom banner.
KEADILAN hopes for an immediate answer from the Home Minister Dato Seri Hishamuddin Hussein Onn and the Inspector General of Police. This violence makes a mockery of the Prime Minister’s Malaysia Day speech and so-called Transformation Agenda.

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is director of communications for PKR and the assemblyman for Kelana Jaya