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Johor Regent says ‘police officer escort’ allegedly linked to assault on disabled e-hailing driver

Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim today said the alleged assault on a disabled e-hailing driver involved one of his police officer escorts.

Tunku Ismail also said he was aware that there was a movement to “drag the royal institution by using this incident”, but to link the actions of an external security personnel with him and the entire royal institution was “uncalled for”.

In a statement published on the official Instagram account of the Johor Royal Family, (@theroyaljohor), Tunku Ismail said he was only informed of the May 28 incident, which occurred at the St Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, the next day.

“I was informed the following day and I immediately urged the Royal Malaysia Police security escort team to cooperate with investigations,” the statement read.

“I do not condone any illegal action or intimidation. I urge the authorities to investigate the incident where a police officer escort is alleged to have committed a harmful act. I hope the authorities will take action in accordance with the law and give the victim justice.”

On Wednesday, Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Zain had said that police were investigating a bodyguard assigned to a VIP after a disabled man was allegedly assaulted at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Shuhaily had told reporters that the case was being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code for causing voluntary hurt.

However, several hours later, Kuala Lumpur police chief, Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa, said the victim had filed a second police report, stating that the matter had been settled.

Rusdi said the e-hailing driver had said that the case was a “misunderstanding” and did not wish to prolong the matter.

Yesterday, the advocacy group Malaysian Deaf Advocacy and Wellbeing Organisation (DAWN), in a statement, defended the rights of the disabled driver.

In the statement, DAWN said the 46-year-old e-hailing driver, who cannot hear and speak, had lost his son three weeks prior to the incident.

DAWN had also said that the victim had been forced to drop the case under pressure and agree to be compensated. DAWN also claimed that the victim was asked to read and sign another police report, which he never intended to file.