Teresa Kok

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/42926

Cops ask for ‘yum cha’ money, strip me and grab my breasts…
Pauline Puah
Nov 11, 05 6:35pm

Slapped, stripped naked and detained for several days. This was the alleged ordeal endured by a Chinese national at the hands of the police after being accused of possessing a fraudulent passport.

The 35-year-old homemaker, who wanted to be known only as Zhen, was travelling in a car with four friends, one lady who is also a Chinese national and three men who were Malaysians, to a party when they were stopped at a police roadblock in Sungai Buloh last Thursday night.

“We showed them our passports but the police personnel said they suspected these were fake passports,” said Zhen, who has been married to a Malaysian contractor since 2001.

“Although I don’t understand Malay, but from their gestures, I knew they asked for RM500. Otherwise we will be arrested,” she told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Thinking she had nothing to fear since she had a genuine passport, Zhen refused to pay them. This proved to be a mistake.

Zhen and her female friend were immediately handcuffed and taken to the Sungai Buloh police station.

“At the police station, I saw a few more women from mainland China detained as well. They were also accused of having fake passports.

“I called my husband and asked him to bring our marriage certificate. But the police ignored my husband when he showed them the certificate later,” recalled Zhen.

Forced to strip

At about 6am, the detainees were taken to the Petaling Jaya district police head quarters where their bags were searched.

“A policeman and a policewoman at the counter asked me to give them RM50 for ‘yum cha’ (drink tea). I understand Cantonese, so I knew they asked for money.

“They took five RM10 notes from my bag. I was so frightened at that time as they were very fierce so I agreed.

“Two other Chinese women also gave them RM50. My friend just had RM3, they took this as well. They distributed the money in front of us to another two to three officers,” she claimed.

Zhen was then taken to a room where a policewoman ordered her to strip naked.

“I felt so ashamed so I turned my back when removing my undergarments. When I did this, the policewoman slapped me and grabbed my breasts.”

She was later held in a lock-up with 18 others.

“It was a cement floor. We did not have beds. It was dirty and full of ants. We were not given water to drink. So all of us had to drink tap water and suffered diarrhea,” she said.

Zhen also claimed that some of her clothes and toiletries which her husband sent did not reach her.

“Initially, I did not know my husband sent me clothes and toiletries. When my husband told me, I asked for them from the police.

“But I found some branded clothes, towel, toothpaste, tooth brush, perfume and sanitary pads missing. Only two t-shirts, a blouse and a pair of shorts were left,” she said.

The Chinese national was released on Monday after the Immigration Department verified her passport.

No humanity

Zhen, who has lodged reports over the incident with the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters and Anti-Corruption Agency, is furious over her experience.

“I never have been handcuffed before. There is no humanity in Malaysia?” she said, breaking into tears.

“I am thinking of asking my husband to move to China with me. I never believed reports in newspapers in China of how Chinese nationals have been abused in Malaysia until I experienced it myself,” she added.

Asked why she decided to come forward, she replied: “I don’t want any other Chinese national to suffer. I know a lot of them have encountered the same problem but do not dare come forward. I want justice to be done.”

Also present at the press conference were DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and DAP Seputeh’s deputy chairperson Rickie Low Ah Kuan (photo).

Kok said she has written a letter to Inspector-General of Police Mohd Bakri Omar urging him to investigate this case promptly.