BUKIT MERTAJAM, 20 Aug 2008: Three men have been detained by police to facilitate investigations into the assault of two media photographers on 16 Aug 2008 by a group during nomination for the Permatang Pauh by-election.
One of the suspects surrendered at the Kubang Semang police station about 1.40pm, and has been remanded until Friday.
A second man who went into hiding in Selangor, was picked up in Selayang yesterday, while the third was nabbed in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur this morning.
Permatang Pauh by-election police media relations officer Supt Shaharon Anuar Abdul Latif said the suspects, aged between 28 and 40, were detained after their photographs were published in newspapers.
He said the trio would be investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for possession of sticks.
On 16 Aug, Mohamed Sairen Mohamed Nafis, 26, a photographer from The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP), and HBL Press News Agency photographer Halim Berbar were assaulted by a group of men.
Mohamed Sairen was recording an incident where a group of Barisan Nasional supporters in a four-wheel drive were being attacked by another group when he himself was attacked by 30 people. Halim, who tried to help him, was also beaten up.
Shaharon Anuar has also appealed to a man to facilitate police investigations into the assault of a female photographer from Guang Ming Daily while she was covering a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah at the Seberang Jaya exposition site near here on 4 Aug.
“We will distribute photographs of the man today to shed light on the assault,” he said. – Bernama
