Koh Tat Meng also named the Selangor government in his suit.

Koh, represented by lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal, is seeking RM50,000 in damages and a public apology.

Rajesh said Koh’s suit was his last resort given the “radio silence” over calls for action to be taken against the MPSJ personnel who manhandled his client.

He said this was despite a video of the incident clearly showing the MPSJ officer, identified as Mohd Sadruddin Mohd Rosli, assaulting Koh.

“Unfortunately until today, no action whatsoever has been taken against the personnel who assaulted Koh.

“We have no choice but to file a civil suit,” he told reporters after filing the suit at the Shah Alam Magistrate’s Court here.

He said MPSJ president Noraini Roslan, the council and the state government had been named as defendants as they were “vicariously liable” for Sadruddin’s actions.

Koh meanwhile said he had filed the suit to seek justice for “animals and Malaysian citizens”.

“They must be treated well,” he said.

The incident which was caught on video last month saw Koh attempting to intervene in MPSJ’s capture of a stray dog.

Koh claimed an MPSJ officer had pinned him against a car after he invoked Prophet Muhammad’s name several times in a bid to get the personnel to show compassion towards the animal.

On Oct 18, he claimed trial at the Magistrate’s Court in Petaling Jaya to obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his public functions.