'Is it due to a non-Muslim or royalty?' Amanah co-founder blasts mute political leaders in deaf driver assault saga

A senior member of Pakatan Harapan's (PH) Amanah has slammed authorities for failing to deliver justice to a disabled man who was assaulted by a police escort accompanying a royal entourage four months ago, saying it should have prompted the party he co-founded to consider quitting the federal government in protest.

Hanipa Maidin, the former Sepang MP who served as the deputy law minister under the previous PH government of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, also questioned why MPs who have been vocal in Parliament on various issues are now mute when it comes to the plight of Ong Ing Keong, a deaf e-hailing driver who was attacked while waiting for passengers at the St Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

"People who have been loud in Parliament, like RSN Rayer (DAP's Jelutong MP), have also not spoken up," he said in an interview with MalaysiaNow in which he expressed frustration not only at the slow pace of reforms but also at the failure of his party leadership to speak up on various issues under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government.

Hanipa, who was a leading PAS lawyer before joining Mohamad Sabu and more than a dozen others to form Amanah in 2015, also accused the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) of remaining largely silent instead of criticising the attorney-general's failure to press charges despite clear video evidence of the May 28 incident.

"I don't see people from PAS or Bersatu speaking out. I don't know if it has to do with the victim being a non-Muslim or because it involves the royalty," he asked.

He said the matter showed a systemic failure of the justice system.

"If we are unable to defend the disabled, it shows our failure as leaders to speak on their behalf.

"Suddenly MPs as people of influence have lost their voice," he said.

He said the government has an obligation to protect people like Ong who belong to the vulnerable group.

"Any government, Madani or otherwise, must be able to protect the disabled. They are the most vulnerable people. If they are not able to protect them, protect their interests or give them justice, then something is wrong."

'Power is delicious'

Hanipa called on his party to convene an extraordinary meeting to discuss its stand on the matter, inclusing to consider quitting the government to protest its handling of the issue.

"Power is delicious. Power is absolutely delicious," he said, alluding to the saying "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely".

His remarks come days after Anwar appeared to defend the long delay in filing charges against the culprit who has been identified, with police having submitted investigation files to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) just a week after the incident.

"The question is whether you want to charge him or not. If it's true that you don't want to charge him, then resign. Replace with someone who has the courage to bring charges."

Anwar had said that the investigation into the attack on Ong "takes time" and "is still open", remarks immediately condemned by Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), the rights group that has been leading the chorus of protests to demand action against the perpetrator.

"This is not a complicated murder case or a mega-financial scandal that it requires so much time. Anwar appears to have no answers, but only evasions," said LFL spokesman Zaid Malek.

Hanipa agreed with LFL, adding that Anwar could have thrown his weight in the matter.

"If I were the prime minister, I would tell the (reporters) to question the attorney-general, not me," he added.

The government's human rights commission Suhakam had said it was "deeply dismayed by the deafening silence" of Attorney-General Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh.

"The alleged incident took place in May 2024, about almost 4 months ago. But, sadly, until today,no prosecutorial action has been taken against the said police officer," it said last week.

Dashcam footage of the incident showed Ong waiting for his passengers outside the St Regis Hotel when a man shouted at him to move his car to make way for an entourage of Johor regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, better known as TMJ.

Ong, who is deaf, then rolled down his car window to speak to what looked like a police officer, before the man suddenly attacked him with a hard punch on the face.

Ong was later treated at Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a soft tissue injury.

Public outrage increased when it was revealed that a "palace representative" had asked Ong to withdraw his complaint lodged with the Brickfields police station.

Ong rejected a claim by city police chief, Rusdi Mohd Isa, that he had withdrawn his police report as it was a "misunderstanding".

Instead, Ong disclosed that an officer had given him the choice of either accepting a sum of money from the palace representative or having his phone confiscated if the case went to court.

AG Terrirudin should resign

Hanipa said he was saddened that so far only groups such as LFL, apart from PKR's Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim,had publicly defended Ong.

He said he could not understand the delay as even Tunku Ismail himself had demanded justice for Ong and action against the attacker.

Hanipa called on Terrirudin to resign.

"The question is whether you want to charge him or not," he said.

"If it's true that you (AG) don't want to charge him, then resign. Replace with someone who has the courage to bring charges."

He said he understands that sometimes there are delays because investigation documents are sent back and forth between the AGC and the police.

However, he said the case falls under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt.

"Section 323 is straightforward and even if it is only investigated twice, I find that unusual, unless the police were lackadaisical.

"But the inspector general of police has already said that the (second) investigation papers have been sent (to AGC)," Hanipa said, adding that since the AGC has not requested further investigation, it has the duty to take action.