Speaking to reporters outside the Bukit Aman police headquarters with the victim Ong Ing Keong, Surendran said the police had indicated to them that the perpetrator was an escort attached to the police force.

He said the police were also looking into the withdrawal of Ong’s first police report and the so-called settlement.

“The police are looking into all the circumstances – about the withdrawal, who was involved in the withdrawal, what happened – that is why we were there for almost four hours,” he said.

Ong had arrived earlier in the morning with Surendran, who was accompanied by fellow Lawyers for Liberty representative Latheefa Koya, to give his statement to the police in Bukit Aman.

Surendran said no satisfactory explanation had been given for the incident, and the evidence was sufficient to prove that an assault had occurred.

“There is a dashcam video. I have seen the video, the police have seen the video. It’s very clear from the video that there was an assault.

“(The police) have (the video). I hope based on that, the police and authorities will act quickly (based) on the evidence,” he said.

Surendran also said the authorities should look into reviewing the existing regulations governing escorts for VIPs to ensure similar incidents would not happen again.

“The government has to send the message that public safety is paramount.

“While the safety of the person being escorted, whether it’s a VIP or VVIP, needs to be safeguarded, equal importance must be given to public safety.”

Last week, Ong was allegedly assaulted by a police escort for a VIP while waiting to pick up passengers at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

On Wednesday, Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director Shuhaily Zain said police were investigating the escort for causing voluntary hurt.