A Federal Reserve Unit officer who had deployed a water cannon in Jalan Pudu during the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9, said he had not been briefed that the Tung Shin Hospital was located in the vicinity.

NONE Sergeant Idzha Salim (left), 45, told a public inquiry today that use of the chemical-laced water was intended to disperse the crowd.

"We were not briefed that there is a hospital in the vicinity," he told the Human Rights Commission panel that is conducting the inquiry.

"I am not from Kuala Lumpur and did not know there is a hospital there.... I admit that I launched the water cannon spray into the crowd and also at the hospital."

Idzha said that, when his superior informed him about the hospital, he stopped firing.

The witness, who was the last one to testify today said there are several places which water cannon or tear gas cannot be fired upon and these include places of worship and hospitals.

"Normally either water cannon or tear gas is used. It is up to the field commander which option is used. I would not be at liberty to tell you which option is better. It depends on orders. But as I fired, the crowd started re-grouping.

"However, this is the first time that both tear gas and water cannon were used on the protesters. Normally three police teams the Light Strike Force, Anti Demonstration Unit and FRU are equipped to fire tear gas.

"However, I could not see much as the polycarbonate glass on the 22 year old vehicle provides limited vision, plus there was smoke (from the tear gas) and it was also raining heavily at that time," he admitted

Asked by panel chairperson Dr Khaw Lake Tee and fellow Suhakam commissioner Detta Samen, if it would have helped if the vehicle was a new one, the witness said yes.

Asked again by Detta on whether he was recommending for a new vehicle, Idzha replied "If possible", to laughter from the public gallery.

He also said the crowd were behaving in an unruly manner as some climbed onto his truck as depicted in the front page of local Malay daily, Utusan Malaysia .

 Ordered to use water cannon

Earlier, commanding officer Inspector Nor Hisham Razali testified that his team with five men from Ipoh were there at Menara Maybank at about 2.41pm on July 9.

He said he received instructions from ASP Ahmad Halimi Hamidi, the ground operations officer, to use the water cannon on the protesters as they moved from Dataran Maybank to Jalan Pudu.

"Ahmad Halimi warned the crowd more than three times for the crowd to disperse. I felt that the crowd tried to surround us and attack us. They threw water bottles and stones, resulting in dents to the vehicle.

"We used the water cannon laced with CS Liquid Gas, which would irritate the eyes but is not dangerous or result in death. We only used according the recommended levels," he told the inquiry.

The witness added he lodged a police report as a result of the damage to his vehicle.

Nor Hisham concurred with Sergeant Idzha they were not informed of the existence of the hospital.

He said as they fired the water cannon, he saw a signboard indicating the (Chinese) Maternity Hospital and stopped firing. The water did not go there but went into Tung Shin hospital.

Nor Hisham, when asked by Bar Council chairperson Lim Chee Wee who held a watching brief, said he had not been asked by the Health Ministry to offer an explanation why chemical laced water was used in the hospital compound.

The witness replied he knew gas canisters were fired into Tung Shin hospital but also indicated that they could have been placed there.

To further questions from Lim, on whether he knew the right of the people to assemble under Article 10 of the federal constitution, Nor Hisham said the police were trained on everything.

Mat Sabu's knee injured

Another witness, Dr Abang Askandar Kamel Basrull Abang Bruce from KPJ Specialist Centre, who treated PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, for an injury to his right knee.

He believed the injury, a ligament fracture which required a screw and plate to be inserted, was not self-inflicted.

"It is a serious injury but not life threatening and could happen to anyone even a sportsman. Mat Sabu told me his right knee struck a police vehicle. He was on a wheelchair when he arrived on July 11."

 

The inquiry continues tomorrow with Ahmad Halimi testifying and also visit to the Tung Shin hospital.