Suhakam slams AG's 'deafening silence' over attack on deaf driver

The government's Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has called on Attorney-General Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh to break his silence on the case of a deaf e-hailing driver who was assaulted four months ago by a man believed to be a police officer accompanying the Johor royal entourage, a day after lawyers criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's attempt to justify the long delay in charging the suspect.

The commission said it was "deeply dismayed by the deafening silence" of the AG in the case of Ong Ing Keong, who was assaulted outside a hotel on May 28.

"If the attorney-general cum public prosecutor takes the position that he does not intend to prosecute the said police officer, he must announce it to the public stating his reasons in clear terms for the decision not to prosecute.

"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," Suhakam said in a statement.

"The learned honourable AG needs no reminder that justice delayed is justice denied to Ong, the alleged victim. Under Article 8 of the Federal Constitution everyone is equal before the law and is entitled to the equal protection of the law – and this includes Ong," said Suhakam, adding that it was a straightforward case of assault under the Penal Code.

Yesterday, Anwar appeared to defend the delay in charging Ong's attackers, drawing immediate condemnation from rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL).

LFL said it was flippant for Anwar to say that the investigation into the attack on Ong "takes time" and "is still open", adding that it was a clear-cut case with clear evidence.

"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 Zaid Malek, who is also the lawyer representing Ong.

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.

Suhakam said Ong's plight was part of a "persistent neglect of critical human rights issues impacting vulnerable communities".

"As this is a case of public interest involving a person with disability, a member of the vulnerable community, the AG, as the guardian of public conscience, has a constitutional and moral duty to publicly address the issue.

"Silence is not an option on the part of the AG," the commission said.