PETALING JAYA: Two policemen who allege they were assaulted by Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Shuhaily Zain are suing him over physical injuries and trauma, their lawyer says.
Kamal Hisham Jaffar said the amount of compensation had yet to be determined, as his clients were still waiting for their medical reports, Harian Metro reported.
"Within these seven days, we will file the action in court," he was quoted as saying at a press conference today, after Shuhaily claimed trial in the Sepang magistrates' court to two counts of voluntarily causing hurt.
"The claim relates to the injuries suffered, including physical and mental effects, and other matters that arose after the incident."
According to Kamal, one of the policemen suffered trauma due to the incident and required follow-up psychiatric treatment.
He also said the effects on his clients "should not be taken lightly", although some parties might regard the incident as a trivial matter.
"We took this case on our own initiative after they told us of the difficulties they faced, including financial constraints and the significant difference in rank," he said, adding that he and fellow counsel were acting pro bono.
He urged the public not to speculate by linking the two to a syndicate or "counter setting", saying those with evidence should leave it to the authorities.
Kamal represents Ekmal Sofwan and Faiz Saman, who allege they were assaulted by Shuhaily at KLIA Terminal 1 on Sept 28.
The incident was captured on CCTV, and the footage later leaked on social media and went viral.
AKPS confirmed the footage was genuine and said the incident occurred while Shuhaily was inspecting preparations at KLIA ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Shuhaily claimed that certain quarters were attempting to tarnish his reputation and that of AKPS, but said he would cooperate with the investigation and accept whatever decision the authorities make.