Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai today apologised for initially denying that anti-riot weapons were discharged on protesters seeking refuge at the Tung Shin hospital during the Bersih rally on July 9.
This follows the confirmation by a high-level Health Ministry probe which confirmed that water cannon jet streams and a “smoke bomb” had been discharged in the hospital compound.
Two days after the rally, Liow said the hospital authorities had reported to him that the hospital was not hit by the weapons.
“When I was relaying the hospital’s report (to the public), I had caused different interpretation among different people, and causing misunderstandings.
“Based on the disturbance that I had caused, I would like to express my apologies,” he said in Putrajaya this morning.
On the “smoke bomb”, which the probe had confirmed landed in Chinese Maternity Hospital adjacent to Tung Shin, Liow said that it should not be confused with tear gas.
“A smoke bomb and tear gas are very different. It cannot be compared,” he said.
Liow’s initial denial had sparked widespread condemnation because numerous pictures and video footages spread online had proven that anti-riot weapons were fired into the hospital compound.
Following this, Liow announced the formation of the investigative committee, which yesterday confirmed that some police personnel had breached standard operating procedures in the Tung Shin incident.
The report by the committee confirmed that a police water cannon truck had fired at a mult-story carpak inside Tung Shin’s compound, along with a “smoke bomb”.
However, the probe said that tear gas canisters did not make it into the compound and were fired into an adjacent carpark.
This follows the confirmation by a high-level Health Ministry probe which confirmed that water cannon jet streams and a “smoke bomb” had been discharged in the hospital compound.Two days after the rally, Liow said the hospital authorities had reported to him that the hospital was not hit by the weapons.
“When I was relaying the hospital’s report (to the public), I had caused different interpretation among different people, and causing misunderstandings.
“Based on the disturbance that I had caused, I would like to express my apologies,” he said in Putrajaya this morning.
On the “smoke bomb”, which the probe had confirmed landed in Chinese Maternity Hospital adjacent to Tung Shin, Liow said that it should not be confused with tear gas.
“A smoke bomb and tear gas are very different. It cannot be compared,” he said.Liow’s initial denial had sparked widespread condemnation because numerous pictures and video footages spread online had proven that anti-riot weapons were fired into the hospital compound.
Following this, Liow announced the formation of the investigative committee, which yesterday confirmed that some police personnel had breached standard operating procedures in the Tung Shin incident.
The report by the committee confirmed that a police water cannon truck had fired at a mult-story carpak inside Tung Shin’s compound, along with a “smoke bomb”.
However, the probe said that tear gas canisters did not make it into the compound and were fired into an adjacent carpark.
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