More than a dozen Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel churned out inconsistent statements and repeated denials when they testified at a public inquiry into the 'Bloody Sunday' protest.

This was the final day of the inquiry, which commenced on Oct 5, being carried out by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) at its office in Kuala Lumpur.

Lance Corporal Mustika Lamonding, who initially identified FRU Constable Zamri Hussin as the officer seen hitting student Lee Huat Seng in a video, made an about turn later.

Before retracting his earlier statement, he told the Suhakam panel comprising commissioners KC Vohrah, Choo Siew Kioh, Dr Michael Yeoh and Zaitoon Othman that he stood next to Zamri during the operation.

"At first I thought it was Zamri but at second glance, I don't think it was him. I remember we both wore long sleeves that day," he said.

The video showed an officer with short sleeves.

Questioned by Zaitoon, Mustika also said he did not know which officers were in short sleeves that day.

"But you remember Zamri and yourself wearing long sleeves, how can you not recall who wore short sleeves?" pressed the commissioner, to which the FRU personnel remained silent.

Zamri, who was identified by most of the 16 FRU personnel who testified today, had trouble recognising himself when his picture was shown with three other unidentified FRU officers surrounding Zahir during the May 28 protest.

He only managed to identify himself when a full frontal image of him was shown after the commissioners continuously questioned him for confirmation.

Most of the 16 said "I am not sure" consistently when asked to identify their colleagues in the photographs and images shown to them.

According to them, the faces were blocked by the helmet visors and shields or that the photographs and images were not clear.

Findings and recommendations

Observers present at the inquiry were WK Chan and Nik Mohamed Ikhwan for the Bar Council, ASP Noradnan Nordin for the Inspector-General of Police Secretariat and Muhamad Rushdan Mohamed for the Attorney-General's Chambers.

The commissioners hope to come up with findings and recommendations by the end of this year assisted by the observers' reports due on Nov 17.

The public inquiry will determine whether any human rights violations occurred and if so:

  • which person or agency was responsible for the violations;

  • how such violations came about;

  • what administrative directives and procedures or arrangements contributed to them; and;

  • what measures should be recommended to be taken to ensure that such violence does not recur.

    • This is the fifth public inquiry 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).

    'Bloody Sunday' photo gallery