Police fires tear gas into the crowds at the Bersih 2.0 rally - file pic
In a report made public on Tuesday, the Health Ministry had ascertained that the policeman acted in an unethical manner and breached standard operation procedures (SOP) when dispersing demonstrators who gathered to call for free and fair elections on July 9.
The report prompted a statement from the Home Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Mahmood Adam that the policeman would be referred to the police disciplinary committee.
“He is still performing his duties as a policeman for now as we have yet to record his statement over the matter,” Mohamad said today. Police had absolved themselves of any wrongdoing during the July 9 rally after setting up six internal teams to investigate claims of police brutality that followed after nearly 1,700 were arrested, scores injured and an ex-soldier died during chaotic scenes in the capital.
But Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai ordered a second probe into the Tung Shin incident on July 14 after a group of medical consultants had written to the media refuting the hospital board and police who claimed that no gas canisters or water cannons were fired into the hospital.
The DAP then accused the authorities of sweeping the incident under the rug as its eye-witnesses were told by the Health Ministry in August to join “the police in building an investigation report that will be held soon.”
Police finally admitted on July 21 that Tung Shin was hit with tear gas canisters and water cannons during the rally, but denied shooting directly into the compound.
But this claim flies in the face of various video clips uploaded on the YouTube video-sharing site showing water cannons and tear gas being fired into the hospital.
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