updated version A high-ranking police officer told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry this morning that the police did not fire tear gas canisters directly at those involved in the Keadilan-sponsored '100,000 People's Gathering' last Nov 5.

Superintendent Arif Patail, commanding officer of the fourth battalion of General Operations Force (GOF) at the central brigade headquarters in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, told the three-member inquiry that members of the Public Order and Riot Unit (Poru) were trained not to fire directly at people.

"Their training is to shoot the tear-gas canisters up into the air, depending on the wind direction, too," said Arif.

When asked by inquiry chairman Anuar Zainal Abidin if he was aware that a member of the public was hit directly with a tear gas canister, Arif answered "no".

A witness, Shaiful Khairy Kamarulzaman, told the inquiry last Dec 11 that he had been hit directly in the head by a canister allegedly fired at him by police.

Kicking allowed

Arif later told the commission that his Poru personnel were trained to beat, when required, only the lower part of the body, and that they had been told never to hit the upper part of the body like the face or the head.

"Our men and officers have regular training and for this particular deployment all Poru units have been directed not to use batons but rather rotan sticks," Arif said, adding that the sticks were usually five-feet long and a half-inch in diameter.

When Anuar asked if the personnel could kick, Arif answered that if kicking could assist in apprehending a person, it was permissible.

"If it is necessary, we may use kicking to destabilise a person for the purpose of making an arrest," Arif said.

Derogatory names

The second witness today, Supt Roslan Dollah, the deputy commander of the FRU Malaysia, claimed that the participants of the gathering were shouting derogatory remarks at the FRU deployed to the Kesas Highway on that day.

"They were calling us polis anjing, FRU Israel, FRU Zionist and anjing Mahathir . Even though they were calling us in this derogatory manner, we were not affected," Roslan said.

Inquiry member Mehrun Siraj later asked Roslan if it was possible that when firing tear gas canisters from rifles, people could actually be hit directly.

Roslan: Yes, it could possibly happen. The intent is not there, but it could happen.

Mehrun: But the personnel should point the gun at such an angle, it is pointing up, isn't it?

Roslan: If the situation calls for it, it could be fired downwards as well, with the angle facing downwards.

No order to fire directly

Questioned by Mehrun on the allegations made by Khairy, Roslan denied giving such orders to fire directly at anyone.

"I have never given such orders. There is no such thing and it is not true," he said, adding that orders to fire the tear gas canisters could either be in one direction or multi-directional.

When asked by Anuar if a direct hit could result in death, Roslan answered "yes".

As to how many canisters had been fired on that day throughout the operation, he replied a total of 84.

Anuar then asked Roslan if the operation had taken on a war-like situation.

"It is not a war but we are just trying to disperse them. It is like war but not war," he said.

The inquiry continues on Feb 26 at Menara Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur, with Dep Supt Bawandhi Hirallal scheduled to testify.

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