Human rights organisation Suaram said today the use of 262 rounds of tear gas on peaceful Bersih 2.0 demonstrators on July 9 is evidence of police brutality and warrants an apology from the authorities.

In a statement today, Suaram said the home minister and the police chief should “say sorry” for the use of force, and also compensate the family of demonstrator Baharuddin Ahmad, who died during the incident.

“We protest the government’s use of RM22,855.76, including for 226 tear gas canisters and 36 tear gas bombs to disperse the peaceful Bersih 2.0 demonstration... which is an abuse of taxpayers’ money.

masked policeman assault 051011 “Suaram feels the Home Ministry and the inspector-general of police must take full responsibility for the brutality which occurred on July 9,” coordinator Yap Heng Lung said in a statement.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported Kuala Lumpur CID chief Ku Chin Wah as saying that a uniformed police personnel caught on video assaulting a demonstrator on July 9 would not be prosecuted as there were no witnesses.

However, Ku said the errant officer, who was wearing a bandana across his face, would be subject to disciplinary action for breaching standard operating procedures (SOP) while dispersing the crowd.

On Wednesday, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said only one officer was in breach of the SOP while dispersing the crowd near Tung Shin Hospital.

However, there have been several eyewitness accounts of brutality, including one involving a demonstrator who was spotted with a fractured leg, and who had boot marks on his pants leg.

The man, who was lying on the street with his hands bound with plastic cuffs before medical volunteers rushed to his aid, said he was kicked by riot police.

Police and Home Ministry arrest figures don’t tally

According to Yap, not admitting blame would only prove that the government had no political will to improve the police force, despite numerous calls to do so from the people.

“The disciplinary bureau is insufficient in dealing with police officers who breach the SOP, as it is not transparent and reports are confidential.

“As such, we urge the Najib Abdul Razak administration to fulfil the government’s promise to the rakyat to set up an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC),” he said.

Only with the IPCMC can such investigations into police misconduct be done fairly and the police institution be strengthened, he said.

Yap also queried why the home minister’s tally of  the number of people arrested over the rally differed from figures given by the police.  

“The Home Ministry tally of the number of people arrested is 1,509 but a police statement puts the number at 1,697,” he said.