One police officer has been identified for breaching the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the police force when dispersing Bersih 2.0 rally participants at the Tung Shin Hospital in Kuala Lumpur on July 9.

perkasa visit kdn on isa 290911 hishamuddin Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussien and Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar confirmed that internal disciplinary action would be taken against officer in due time.

However, Hishammuddin added, the incident had been blown out of proportion as the police were not solely responsible for situation during the rally for electoral reforms.

He said that the Tung Shin Hospital incident was only "one out of six or seven" mishaps.

In its report released yesterday, the Health Ministry said police water cannons were fired at demonstrators who converged at the hospital's main gate and multi-storey car park.

“(On) Tung Shin, there is a spin that it is looking as though the SOP of the police is at fault. This is just one incident, and the action will be taken,” Hishammuddin told reporters at Parliament House lobby.

“The fact they are just looking at one particular incident, relating to internal disciplinary action based on SOP, to me, is like making a big mountain of a molehill.”

Police and the Health Ministry had initially rejected the claims that water cannon and teargas were fired into the Tung Shin Hospital compound during the July 9 rally.

tear gas fire at tung shin hospital 090711 3 However, following intense public pressure and with photographs and video clips widely distributed on the Internet showing the contrary, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai was forced to set up a committee to probe the matter.

Ismail said there was no problem with the SOP and that the officer identified had not been entrusted with the task of crowd dispersal.

Bersih 2.0 had led an estimated 50,000 people from across the nation to march the streets of the capital demanding electoral reform.

The authorities have since been fiercely criticised for their mishandling of the rally. The crackdown saw 1,667 people, including 16 children, arrested for ‘disturbing the peace’ and taking part in an ‘illegal gathering’.

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