PETALING JAYA – Following a two-month wait for justice, Ong Ing Keong, an e-hailing driver allegedly assaulted by a VVIP bodyguard at the St. Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, has made public the dashcam footage of the incident.
The video, presented to reporters at the Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) office, depicts Ong driving in the lobby area of the St. Regis Hotel to collect his passengers. The footage shows flashing lights, believed to be from a VVIP escort convoy, approaching the rear of Ong’s vehicle.
In the video, a man in a suit is seen demanding Ong, who is deaf and mute, to move his vehicle.
As Ong complies and begins to drive away, security personnel are heard shouting “Move!”
Moments later, another individual is seen punching Ong in the face, causing his head to snap back and resulting in bleeding from his lips. It has been previously reported that the individual responsible for the assault is suspected to be a police officer attached to a VVIP’s security detail.
In the video, the perpetrator appears to be wearing a white shirt and a dark suit, either black or dark grey.
During a press conference, Ong Ing Keong, the victim, struggled to hold back tears as the video was played. His lawyer, N. Surendran, explained that Ong is still grappling with the trauma of the assault.
“It’s traumatic for him because he was only working while it happened.
“Also the punch was quite hard and painful for him. He went to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment and as you can see he suffered bleeding on his lips,” Surendran said.
Surendran expressed disappointment that his client had to release the dashcam footage to prove the assault took place, only to find that the authorities have still failed to prosecute anyone.
This comes despite multiple statements provided by Ong to the authorities and the Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, confirming on June 5 that the investigation papers had been forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“It has been more than two months since the incident. Until today we have not received a reply. So we have done all we can to pursue and follow up on this matter with authorities.
“For a clear assault case, two months without any action is a long time. Now today we are going to show you clear evidence an assault did take place,” Surendran said.
In late May, Ong revealed to the media that he was assaulted by personnel protecting a VVIP on May 28. When he filed a report at the police station the same day, a representative from the palace was present and offered him compensation to drop the matter.
The bodyguard under investigation is a member of the security detail for Johor Regent Tunku Ismail, who has called for a thorough investigation and urged the authorities to deliver justice to the victim. The Crown Prince confirmed that the bodyguard in question is from the police force.
“The representative told me I have two choices, either take the compensation or proceed with the matter which will result in the confiscation of my phone.”
Following the incident, Inspector General Razarudin stated that the police would conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. – August 14, 2024
