Wan Ji claims to have been assaulted in prison

(FMT) – Jailed for sedition, preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin said today he was physically assaulted by a warder with a thick Kelantanse accent during the three days he was held in Kajang prison.

In a 2.55 minute YouTube video, Wan Ji said he was hit a few times.

“There was a warder. His face covered, asked me for my name. I said Wan Ji.

“He told me to remove my glasses and said you are the one who criticised the Sultan. He then started hitting me,” Wan Ji said. At that point other warders started laughing.

Wan Ji said the assault took place just after he had been told to remove his clothes and had been given a shave.

Wan Ji, who is head of PKR Youth’s religious bureau, said he had informed Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim about the assault.

“Anwar Ibrahim called the Prisons Department and asked them to look for the person who had hit Wan Ji. So there is no need to be angry,” he said, addressing his online audience.

He said he had been advised by his lawyer to make a police report over the matter but he was holding back from doing so as the warden may not get another job.

“The lawyer said he may do the same to another person,” said Wan Ji. He hoped the warden would apologise for his actions so that he does not do the same to others.

“Maybe he did that to me because he is fed up with me. Since he is from Kelantan, I suspect he could be from PAS or Umno and he may not like me,” said Wan Ji, referring to his outspoken nature.

Wan Ji was sentenced to a year’s jail on July 9 on an appeal by the prosecution for an enhanced sentence and ordered to begin serving his term. He was released on July 12 after his lawyers formally filed for a stay of the sentence pending an appeal.