Despite the promise of a high-level committee to probe into complaints that tear gas and chemicalised water had been fired into the compound of the Tung Shin Hospital, the Health Ministry has now sought police help to investigate the alleged incident on July 9.

This was revealed to DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara Tony Pua in a letter issued by the secretariat of the committee last Friday.

NONE Pua, who was in the compound of Tung Shin Hospital together with fellow DAP leaders on July 9, had offered to the committee to give their testimony to assist the inquiry.

However, instead of taking up the offer from the DAP MPs, the committee has asked the police to contact them to give their statements.

In a press conference this morning, Pua said the DAP headquarters initially received a letter from the ministry at 4pm on July 29, a Saturday, asking him and three other party leaders to attend an inquiry scheduled on Monday, Aug 1.

The other three are Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and Zairil Khir Johari, the political secretary to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

But by the time they found about the letter on Monday, it was too late to attend the inquiry, explained Pua.

NONE He added that he then wrote a reply to the committee to ask them to fix another date for them to give their testimony.

However, the secretariat of the committee wrote to them again on Aug 5, this time saying, “We will join forces with the police in carrying out an investigation that will be held soon.”

Pua said he has also received a call from the police, asking him and other fellow leaders to appear at the PJ district police headquarters at 9.30 am this Wednesday.

“So the minister has abdicated his power to his secretary-general, and the latter has abdicated his power to the police,” said Pua.

‘A witch-hunt to trap us’

He further questioned whether the police move could end up becoming a witch-hunt to trap them.

“When we intended to attend the ministry inquiry it was on voluntary basis, but now we are called by the police, which is no longer voluntary.

NONE “The information we (give to the police) can be used against us in a court of law... are they trying to trap us?” asked the DAP publicity secretary.

Pua also questioned the credibility of the police to investigate this case, as the incident also involved the police force.

He called on Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai to reclaim the initiative to investigate the incident.

Liew, who also presented in the press conference, blamed the police for refusing to accept their mistake and trying to rewrite the history of the July 9 rally.

He said this issue has ragain highlighted the need for the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission and real reform of the police force.

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