The police force had participants of the Bersih 2.0 rally “surrounded at both exits” along Jalan Pudu, an eyewitness told the inquiry panel today.

suhakam public inquiry 050112 dr ng kwee boon Dr Ng Kwee Boon (right) , who is based at the Tung Shin Hospital, which is located along the main street, said today police roughed up the rally participants, even though they had gathered there peacefully.

“The police chased the participants and many ran into the hospital,” the doctor told the Human Right Commission’s (Suhakam) public inquiry today.

Suhakam is holding the public inquiry into human rights violations during the Bersih 2.0 public rally for electoral reform, which was held on the streets of Kuala Lumpur on July 9 last year.

The 52-year-old gynaecologist said he witnessed the incident upon returning to the hospital after the lunch hour that day.

Ng described the rally as a “peaceful and organised assembly” - until the time police personnel launched anti-riot weapons at the crowd.

“It was like the police were punishing the supporters... I’m proud to have been there to treat those who needed help.

“I don't want to take sides but the police actions were not reasonable,” he criticised.

Participants took shelter at the hospital

Recounting the events that transpired, Ng said the police had barricaded the both ends of Jalan Pudu.

“As I understand this was to avoid a clash between Bersih’s supporters and Umno’s Patriot who were coming from Jalan Bukit Bintang.”

He said he managed to pass the police road blocks and returned to the hospital parking lot and he spotted a large group of people walking on the main road.

NONE As it was raining, Dr Ng said the participants were taking shelter at the hospital and right behind was a water cannon truck followed by Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel.

“They (FRU) fired the water cannon at the supporters who were standing at the parking lot. I then ran up to the (main) hospital building, there were also people taking shelter in the lobby, and from the porch of the building I could see the police beating the supporters and for the second time they fired the water cannon,” he added.

The inquiry’s chairperson Khaw Lake Tee asked if he saw tear gas canisters or smoke bombs being hurled into the hospital grounds, Ng replied: “I did not see it but I could feel the effects of the tear gas even inside the lobby of the hospital building.”

Ng was among 11 medical officers on duty at the Tung Shin Hospital. He blasted the authorities for denying anti-riot weapons were used against those taking shelter in the hospital grounds.

 The police and health ministry officials had initially denied that tear gas and water cannons were fired into the hospital compound, but changed their stance after video clip evidence on the incident was widely circulated.

The ministry’s six-member panel concluded that smoke bombs were thrown into the Chinese Maternity Hospital compound, which had ceased operations since September 2006.

Ng was also the only doctor who came forward to provide evidence during the ministry’s probe into the incident.

“I was supportive of the rally at first but when I saw it was peaceful and well-organised, I felt it was an event the country should be proud of.

Nothing wrong in organising a peaceful assembly

“What the government and the police had done only damaged the name of our country,” said Ng when probed by ASP S Shanmugam, who watching brief for the police, whether he supported Bersih’s cause for electoral reform.

Ng fired back that the legality of the assembly has yet to be asserted, and added that the matter was for the courts to decide.

“If we are living in a communist country or a police state, we can accept when an assembly is prohibited,” Ng continued.

“But Malaysia is a developed nation, so what is so wrong in organising a peaceful assembly? What is the problem?

“The rally was not political in nature and it was participated by those who both are pro-government and the opposition. It was a rally for a clean electoral system which is important for a developed country,” he added.

Dang Wangi police chief Mohamad Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman, who was next to testify, said although he was the field commandant in that area during the rally, he did not know of the Tung Shin Hospital incident.

Mohamad Zulkarnain said he led a FRU squad to Dataran Merdeka where after several rounds of tear gas were fired at protesters as they were preparing to march to Stadium Merdeka.

However, one unit under his command left the ranks without orders, he told the panel.

NONE Khaw ( left ) asked if the unit had received orders, bypassing his authority but Mohamad Zulkarnain replied that he didn’t know under who’s orders the unit proceeded to Jalan Pudu.

“One that day there were two districts involved - Dang Wangi and Brickfields - so we were taking orders directly from IPK (police contingent headquarters),” he said.

However, he insisted he was not aware who gave instructions to the unit to move towards Jalan Pudu and to launch anti-riot weapons at the crowd.

Yesterday, ASP Ahmad Halimi Hamidi, who was part of the riot squad, testified that he received orders from “above” when he ordered the water cannon to be fired.

Halimi had said that a superior officer by the name of ‘Karthik’, gave the nod despite knowing there was a hospital in the vicinity.

Mohamad Zulkarnain said today that he just told Karthik “to survey the area near Dataran Maybank”.

He added that he could not recall if he was briefed of the situation at Jalan Pudu before the FRU acted.

“Did you check who gave the orders to fire then?” asked commissioner Detta Seman, who also sits on the inquiry panel.

To this, Mohamad Zulkarnain replied that he “just accepted” that there were probably orders from his superiors.

The inquiry resumes on Monday with witnesses who were involved in scuffles at KL Sentral.