Family say police responsible for Bersih death

UPDATED @ 03:56:20 PM 10-07-2011

By Yow Hong Chieh

July 10, 2011

Baharuddin Ahmad’s body being brought for burial today. — Picture by Yong Hong Chieh

 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — The brother of Baharuddin Ahmad, who died yesterday after collapsing during the Bersih rally, has blamed the death on a “deliberate act of cruelty” by the police.

Kassim Ahmad, 72, told The Malaysian Insider his brother had died because he alledged that the police had withheld medical aid from Baharudin after he collapsed while running away from tear gas and water cannon bombardment.

“[They] asked the police to help send him to hospital but they refused, so we waited for one-and-a-half hours before the van came,” he said.

“A lot of people tried to revive him ... Had he been given oxygen, he would be alive today.”Kassim also expressed shock at the violence employed by police during yesterday’s mammoth rally, which he likened to war, but stressed that people should not be intimidated by force.

Baharuddin, 56, who died at Kuala Lumpur Hospital yesterday evening, was laid to rest at 12.55pm today at Lembah Keramat Muslim Burial Ground here just three kilometres from his home.

His hearse was escorted by the same yellow T-shirts he had marched alongside just a day before.

Baharuddin leaves behind his wife, Setiawangsa PKR division chief Rosni Malan, a daughter, 24, and two sons aged 22 and 19.

Kassim added that he was thankful for the presence of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders at Baharuddin’s wake and burial, including PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.

Also present were Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah.

“Have you ever seen the other party come to bury a normal person?” he asked.

“This is the most poignant burial I’ve ever experienced ... because it’s from the heart. All through sweat, all having walked together for miles.”

It is understood that PR is looking into possible legal action against the police for Baharuddin’s death.