Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai has been challenged to disclose the progress of his ministry’s probe into the Tung Shin Hospital incident during the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9.

NONE DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua reminded Liow that the party had offered four eyewitnesses to the incident, during which the police launched tear gas and chemical-laced water into the hospital compound, where a number of rally participants had taken refuge.

The four are Members of Parliament Teo Nie Ching (Serdang) and Liew Chin Tong (Bukit Bendera), the DAP secretary-general’s political secretary Zairil Khir Johari; and Pua himself.

“However, after waiting for a week, we have heard absolutely nothing from Liow or his ministry, with the exception of continued verbal promises to investigate,” Pua said in a statement today.

NONE Expressing disappointment with Liow (left) for “evading responsibility”, he said there has been no announcement of details of the “high-powered committee” that the ministry has supposedly set up to probe the matter.

Pua questioned the absence of details such as the composition of the committee, terms of reference and timeline for the probe.

He said the “stonewalling by the ministry” has coincided with two investigation committees set up by the police to investigate the same alleged incident, and to question 11 doctors who are willing to testify that the police had indeed encroached into the hospital compound.

“It appears that Liow has been forced to rescind the setting up of the investigation committee ... under instructions from his political masters to cover up the incident, prevent an admission of guilt and to stop further embarrassment to the BN government for its clumsy, oppressive and incompetent handling of the Bersih 2.0 rally...,” said Pua.

NONE “If true, then Liow is once again abdicating his responsibility... by not protecting the hospital and its patients...

"We have little confidence in police impartiality to investigate their own transgressions, especially when (they) can choose to charge witnesses with various alleged offences should they come forward to testify.”

The police had previously denied firing tear gas into the hospital compound, triggering an avalanche of counter-claims supported by eyewitness accounts and video footage.

Pua added that he would be happy to be proven wrong if Liow immediately revealed the details the investigation committee required.

You're right Zaid, but don't belittle July 9