Gang-attack Rocked the Chin Refugee Community

Dilapidated shop-lot houses in Taman Maluri, Cheras.

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 26 May 2012: The self-protective fighting against the gang-attack left two of Chin refugees badly injured and sent to hospital in addition to paying ransom money about RM-1800 [US$ 620] for the freedom of one of community leaders kidnapped in the area of Maluri Cheras situated 10 minute drive from Jalan Imbi, the Chin refugee center according to eye-witness.

It was learnt that the young Chin refugee guy at last Sunday night was gang-attacked by three of the local gangs while texting his friend on the phone by the street in Maluri, Cheras where he is residing. When the guy was seen fleeing from the attack at the scene, he was quickly assisted fighting against the gang group in defense of the young Chin guy by two of the Chin refugee elders living in the same area.  

Having noticed that they [the gangs] are so weak enough fighting with the two Chin men, they called on their friends and dozens of them within minutes turned to the street in order to fight back with the two Chin refugee men. After the nearly one hour-long fighting, both sides are known severely wounded at the end. Many of the local gang group left the fighting as many of Chins are more and more getting involved in the fight to help their suffering fellows.

It was successfully stopped by the intervention of the authority—police. One of Chin refugee men was known knifed on his right hand and severely wounded. 

Many of them from both sides were summoned to police station, according to what sources revealed, but Chin refugees getting involved in the hour-long fight was verbally threatened if dared to lodge an official report to the police at their station with the identity of refugees whilst all of the local gangs were let go back home untouched.  

Despite the fact that it was believed that the problem was well settled at the police station, Mr. Thla Kung, one of the community leaders working at Chin Disciplinary Action Committee (CDAC) in the area was kidnapped and asked ransom money about RM-1800 for his release. It was allegedly believed that the three brother gang hobnobbing with the near-by gangsters invited the Indian-Malaysian a thug of gangsters running an internet café at the area in connection with the incident as they fear the huge refugee population. 

Three of the gang were identified as Sabah-born Malaysian and having a development studies in the near-by college. Even so, instead of going well to college, they turned to be bad guys like big gangsters and always giving troubles to Chin refugees. 

Prior to this, they apparently at so many occasions extorted and robbed Chin refugees’ property, such as, hand-phones and money. Even worse, they are also engaged in committing attempted harassment towards Chin girls and ladies at a time when they are at night returning home from their workplace. 

Looking back to the scenario of the fight, justice and fairness for refugees cannot extensively be seen as many areas of Malaysia society is overpoweringly ruled by gangsters. 

Due to fear of the chaos, the Chins dominated refugee community in the area is advised to warn against the possibility of further violent attack from the powerful gang group and not to unnecessarily go around at night. 

Reporting by Simon