Deaf e-hailing driver tears up over assault video, still waiting for justice

Deaf e-hailing driver tears up over assault video, still waiting for justice

Published: Aug 14, 2024 8:59 PM


The deaf e-hailing driver who was allegedly assaulted by police personnel escorting Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim revealed a dash-cam clip of the May incident.

Ong Ing Keong, 48, could not hold back tears as the clip showed the bodyguard punching him just as his passengers entered the car.

His lawyer N Surendran expressed frustration over the authorities’ inaction, saying it has been almost two and half months since the incident.

“I don’t know why, as the evidence is clear. No one has been brought to justice,” he said in a press conference at the Lawyers For Liberty’s office in Petaling Jaya today.

In the one-and-a-half-minute clip, Ong can be seen sitting in the driver’s seat throughout the ordeal, waiting for his passengers to place their belongings in the trunk before a man in a suit knocked on his window, asking him to move.

Ong signed to the man, trying to tell him he was waiting for his passengers to get in. A few seconds later, another man in a suit appeared next to Ong’s window and threw him a punch, leaving him in shock.

The first man then told Ong to "Jalan, jalan!" (move, move!) after all three passengers got in.

Still depressed

Wiping his tears, Ong, through his sign language interpreter, Lucy Lim, said he was still depressed over the incident.

"Why am I brave enough to show my face? And why hasn’t the suspect, whom the police (already) know about, been brought to justice?

"And (the suspect's face) has not been revealed. I feel depressed by the prolonged silence over this incident," Ong said.

Asked whether he seeks treatment for the trauma, Ong said several therapists can offer sign-language packages. However, the price might be doubled due to communication barriers.

"There are several counsellors and psychiatrists, but most are hearing people, so if deaf people seek treatment, they might charge double,” said Ong, adding that this would add to the stress faced by deaf people who are seeking help.

Delayed justice

"We shouldn't have to do this kind of press conference,” said Surendran.

“Who would have thought that something like this would happen when a report is lodged?

“The case is highly publicised. What needs to be done should have been done, but somehow we had to do a press conference to call for justice."

Lawyer N Surendran


Malaysian Deaf Advocacy and Well-being Organisation (Dawn) chairperson Anthony Chong, who has stood by Ong since the day of the incident, also expressed disappointment over the delayed justice.

He said the disabled community does not feel safe, knowing that such incidents could happen to them.

"How can we feel safe if every day we have to be alert and watchful and take care of ourselves?” said Chong.

On July 19, Dawn urged the attorney-general to expedite the prosecution as it received investigation papers from the police over a month before they sent the memorandum to the Attorney-General Chambers (AGC) in Putrajaya.

Dawn chairperson Anthony Chong


It alleged that the police also warned the victim not to share a video of the assault, which the latter complied with.

In the May 28 incident, Ong lodged a police report, alleging he was assaulted by one of Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim’s traffic escorts while waiting for a customer at the St Regis Hotel lobby in KL Sentral.

Apart from the assault, there were some alleged irregularities in how the police handled Ong’s report. He was allegedly coerced to settle the matter and offered RM800 to retract the report.

Investigation papers produced by the police, which concerned the assault and the irregularities, were sent to the AGC on June 4.