A Federal Reserve Unit officer who was involved in forcefully breaking up the May 28 Bloody Sunday peaceful demo against the petrol price hike at KLCC testified today that FRU unit members used their batons during the incident only 'to threaten the crowd'.

Testifying before the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) public inquiry into the demonstration, FRU Section 2 Commander Mohd Yacob Mohd Saman said use of the batons to strike was only permitted if his men were attacked.

"I only allowed my men to verbally disperse the crowd in a peaceful manner. They are only allowed to use the batons if they are being attacked," Yacob told the Suhakam panel comprising chair KC Vohrah, Choo Siew Kioh, Zaitoon Othman and Michael Yeoh Onn Kheng at the Suhakam headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

He further testified that his troops dispersed the assembly 'in a peaceful manner' after FRU chief inspector Pusparajan Kaliapan issued the last warning for the crowd to disperse.

KC Vohrah: When (your troops were) dispersing the crowd, did the crowd start dispersing?

Mohd Yacob: Some of them dispersed. Those who refused to disperse, we arrested. This is only for those who refused to disperse from the assembly.

It has been alleged that the demonstrators were already dispersing as the riot police swoop in on them.

Disrupt speeches

Another witness, helicopter pilot Anuar Jusoh from the Royal Malaysian Police Air Wing said he was ordered to fly low over the demonstrators to 'disrupt the speakers' speeches'.

He testified the very low altitude he flew at was not dangerous as he was an experienced pilot.

"I have been a pilot for 12 years with six years of experience as a helicopter pilot," he told the panel.

Dr Abdul Fahmi Abdul Karim of the Pusrawi Medical Centre, meanwhile, testified that he had treated demonstrator Amran Zulkifli ( right ) and had classified Amran's injuries as not serious.

"I consider them as not serious injuries due to the fact that Amran's injuries on the head were just superficial and did not damage his skull," he said.

Amran, 38, had testified last Friday that he was beaten on the head, shoulder and arms by FRU personnel who pounced on him suddenly as he was moving away from the crowd with his 10-year-old son.

Last day

The public inquiry is to determine whether any human rights violations occurred during Bloody Sunday and if so:

  • which person or agency was responsible for the violations;

  • how such violations came about;

  • what administrative directives and procedures or arrangement contributed to then; and

  • what measure should be recommended to be taken to ensure that such violence do not recur.

    • It will be the fifth held by the human rights watchdog since its formation in 1999.

    Previous inquiries were on the Kesas Highway incident (2001); conditions faced by Internal Security Act detainees (2002); alleged mistreatment of native villagers in Sabah by the police (2004); and the death of S Hendry while in police custody (2006).

    Tomorrow will see the last day of the current public inquiry which began on Oct 5.

    'Bloody Sunday' photo gallery