‘Tear gas was used incorrectly’

The Bar Council Monitoring Team, in its report of the Bersih 2.0 rally, concluded that there was 'no need for police to have used their water cannons and tear gas' against the marchers.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar Council will raise the issue of police aggression against supporters of last Saturday’s Bersih 2.0 rally when it next meets with the Inspector General of Police.

Its president Lim Chee Wee said they were waiting for an appointment with the IGP when they will also handover a report compiled by the Bar Council Monitoring Team on the events of July 9.

Lim said the report prepared by the team summed up their findings from the march.

The report concluded that the rally was peaceful and there was no need for the police to have used water cannons or tear gas against the marchers.

“The police indiscriminately used tear gas and water cannon when there was no need to do so. There was a lack of warning issued to the marchers.

“Also the tear gas was not used correctly. The aim of using tear gas is to disperse the crowd, instead the police fired tear gas at the crowds from both ends leaving the marchers with no escape route.

“They also made unnecessary and random arrests,” he told a press conference today.

Lim also called for Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who was one of the loudest anti-Bersih voices, to halt his “siege mindset”.

He urged the government and police to conduct a comprehensive internal investigation and to have national human rights body Suhakam hold an inquiry into the policing methods.

He also urged the government and police to uphold the right to assembly as it was enshrined in the constitution.

“The bogeyman of 1969 has been buried long ago,” declared Lim alluding to the May 13 riots in 1969, which recorded 169 deaths although reports over time have suggested the toll exceeded 2,000.

Lim also called for the release of the six who were being held under the Emergency Ordinance and this included PSM leader Dr D Michael Jeyakumar.

“For the sake of the country release them and realize the rakyat wants to exercise freedom,” he said