The inquiry panel of the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) made a site visit to KL Sentral today to inspect the scene of alleged police abuse during the Bersih 2.0 rally.

The venue was one of the hotspots during the July 9 rally for free and fair elections last year, where Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and several top opposition leaders were eventually arrested.

NONE The team, headed by Suhakam deputy chairperson Khaw Lake Tee, wanted a first-hand look at the underpass where hundreds of Bersih 2.0 supporters had gathered before attempting to move on to

Istana Negara via Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

According to witness accounts, hundreds were trapped when Light Strike Force (LSF) units fired at them from both exits of the underpass.

Brickfields district police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid, who accompanied the panel, had testified previously that tear gas had been fired when it became apparent that the crowd was ‘ready to charge’ at the police.

Wan Abdul Bari had said the action was necessary to disperse the crowd, which had outnumbered the police personnel.

During the site visit, the underpass was dimly lit and dense with exhaust fumes from vehicles and buses waiting for passengers to board.

A sheet metal wall was placed along the underpass to cordon off a nearby construction site, however this turned into passageway for the protesters, resulting in poor ventilation.

NONE Wan Abdul Bari said the building under construction was not as tall as during the Bersih rally, and its structure and the roof were not completely sealed off at that time.

The group then moved back through the underpass, and up KL Sentral’s ground floor via an escalator, that Wan Abdul Bari had previously said protesters could use to escape. It was narrow, just enough for two persons standing abreast.

Once on ground level, he showed the panel several locations surrounding the station where the five LSF units, under his command, were initially positioned.

They also visited the taxi stand near an entrance facing a chain of hotels, where Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat leaders had stayed overnight before entering the station and into the underpass.

After the visit, Khaw said the inquiry panel now had a better understanding of what transpired on that day, but declined to answer whether she was satisfied with the police officer’s testimony.

“We will consider all testimonies before coming to a decision, not now,” she said.

Ambiga is expected to give her testimony on the KL Sentral incident at noon tomorrow when the inquiry resumes.

VIDEO | 7.26 mins

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