We did not know it was a hospital, say police officers

The Star
officers did not realise the hospital was there, the Suhakam public inquiry into the Bersih 2.0 rally heard.

“I did not know the building was a hospital. Our vision in the truck was limited due to the rainy weather, smoky air and water on the truck's windscreen,” said Insp Nor Hisham Razali, the officer in charge of the water cannon truck that went to the area during the July 9 street march last year.

He said he and the four policemen controlling the truck were from Ipoh.

Insp Nor Hisham, 37, said the water cannon was fired to disperse protesters who were standing outside the hospital.

The spray from the cannon, which could reach as far as 30m, had hit the hospital grounds unintentionally, he told the inquiry yesterday.

He added that although he had passed through the area before, he was not aware that the building was a hospital.

Insp Nor Hisham said the protesters near the hospital were throwing objects such as stones and plastic bottles at the truck.

“If we didn't do anything, we may have been attacked. So, we fired the water cannon.

“It was only after our vision became clearer that I saw the sign of a maternity hospital and immediately ordered my men to stop firing,” he said.

When Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee suggested it was dangerous for the police to use the water cannon when their vision was limited, Insp Nor Hisham said it was directed at the protesters.

Asked if he could see any senior citizen, disabled people or child- ren who may have been present, Insp Nor Hisham said: “Our vision was blurred. However, the Govern-ment had already given prior warning to the public to avoid the rally.”

To a question, the police officer said he did not see protesters damaging other public property besides the water cannon truck.

Another witness, Sjn Idzha Salim, who was one of the officers handling the water cannon truck, also said he was not aware there was a hospital in the area as he was not from Kuala Lumpur.

The inquiry, chaired by Suhakam vice-chairman Prof Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee, was set up to look into alleged human rights violations during the rally.

The inquiry resumes at 9.15am today and is expected to include a site visit to the hospital.