Condo assault case: Lorry drivers gather in solidarity for victim (Updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of lorry drivers gathered in solidarity at the Sungai Besi toll plaza here today in a show of support for the driver who was assaulted at the Bukit Antarabangsa condominium following a minor accident.
The group comprising some 200 people from the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs Alliance of Malaysia (Ikhlas) said their peaceful gathering, which begin at 11am, was to condemn the assault on the driver on Jan 14.
The group also urged the police to take stern action against those responsible for the assault.
Malaysia Truck and Lorry Drivers Association spokesman Hairi Md Ali said all the lorry drivers want justice for the victim.
"We just want the public to know that we are lorry drivers and not criminals. This is our source of income.
"We are not asking for anything else from the public, we just want to some respect from everyone as it is not easy to drive lorries," he told reporters at the gathering today.
Hairi said the incident could have been avoided if the men had spoken with and discussed the matter with the lorry driver.
"(The victim did not collide with) the Mercedes on purpose. They could have approached him and not beaten him up right after the incident," he added.
Meanwhile, Ikhlas president Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah said the car owner and his "cronies" should be brought to justice.
"We urge the authorities to find them and lock them up for what they have done to the victim," he said.
In the 2 minute 49 second video filmed by an unknown resident of the condominium which went viral on Monday, the victim, a lorry driver clad in red, could be seen defending himself helplessly as he was pinned to the ground and repeatedly kicked and punched.
Meanwhile, police have arrested five suspects, including a woman, who were allegedly involved in the incident.
Selangor deputy police chief DCP Mohd Fuad Abdul Latiff said the five were arrested during an operation by the state Crime Investigation Department team.
"The suspects are in their 20's and 30's," he told reporters after launching the state level Ops Selamat 10/ 2017 for the Chinese New Year festive period at the Sunway Pyramid mall here.
He said the arrests were made in Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
"Some of them were picked up by the police at their homes while some surrendered," he said, adding that police had picked up one suspect on Friday.
The assault attracted wide attention on social media after a video of it became viral recently.
Mohd Fuad said police would be applying for remand orders on the suspects to allow further investigations.
He said the woman was involved in the assault although she was not seen in the video clip.
"Yes, we do not see her assaulting the victim in the video clip. But we have our reasons for her arrest as she is involved," he said.
On the gathering, Mohd Fuad said legally speaking, of course the organisers, namely Ikhlas and Malaysia Truck and Lorry Drivers Association, did not apply for a permit for the gathering but consideration had to be given to the fact that these people gathered for their colleague's welfare.
"As far as I was informed, no one was injured or traffic affected during the gathering. It was peaceful," he told theSun when contacted later.
It was also reported that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said there was no need for anyone to share or post the number of the silver Mercedes-Benz online.