Speaking on behalf of the five was Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) lawyer Shashi Devan, who said their report over the alleged misconduct was lodged with the police’s disciplinary division.

Shashi explained the five wanted to lodge a report against Kenering assemblyman Tarmizi Idris after he fired a pistol into the air during a visit to Kampung Sungai Papan, where he was following-up on aid applications for the Temiar community in the village.

He said the five from the tribe went to the Gerik police station but were directed to lodge their report elsewhere. “The policeman at the guardhouse turned them away and asked them instead to lodge a report at the Umno office, the party which Tarmizi represents,” Shahsi told reporters.

When the group attempted lodging a second report, they were allegedly intercepted by an officer and an Inspector, known as “Mokhtar”. “Instead, Inspector Mokhtar made a call to Tarmizi. No police report was allowed to be made.”

Determined to lodge the report all the same, the five headed to the Lenggong police station, where they were attended to by a police officer known as “Max Dol.”

Max Dol, they claimed, listened to their grouses before calling “Inspector Mokhtar” who in turn told the five to go to the Gerik police station at night to collect their report.

However, one of their representatives, known as Anjang, alleged that “Inspector Mokhtar” verbally abused him and threatened to kick him.

Meanwhile, Shashi said Bukit Aman police assured them they would look into the matter and conduct a separate investigation on the alleged firing of shots by the assemblyman.