A witness at the Suhakam public inquiry into the Bersih 2.0 rally asserted today that police had fired tear gas into the Chinese Maternity Hospital compound, in addition to launching water cannon at the entrance to the Tung Shin Hospital.

NONEYap Jee Kit (left), an aide to Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong, also claimed he had been physically assaulted and verbally abused by the police when arrested.

He said he had walked from Brickfields to Menara Maybank about noon on July 9, wearing the yellow Bersih 2.0 T-shirt.

Yap testified that he saw PKR’s Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah being arrested when negotiating on behalf of more than 5,000 people to move past the police blockade.

"There were many police (personnel) there with Federal Reserve Unit members. We were just gathering, shouting slogans, when police gave warnings and fired tear gas and water cannon along Jalan Pudu.

"Sivarasa and several other politicians tried to negotiate with the police to allow the crowd to move on, but he was arrested," Yap said.

Affected by the tear gas, some sought refuge in the compound of the Tung Shin Hospital. That was when the police fired water cannon at the entrance.

"I could see this happening clearly. A group of us went to the Chinese Maternity Hospital next door. There, some of us formed a round wall, locking arms with the person next to us, to protect ourselves as police started to give warnings.

“Several tear gas canisters were fired at the Chinese Maternity Hospital car park and the police began moving in.”

Yap said he heard some of the Malay protesters reciting what he believed to be prayers “and we stood our ground”.

"The police lifted my Bersih t-shirt over my head. They (used) a baton to (hit) my head, and I was kicked and punched about 10 times," Yap alleged.

He said he had not resisted arrest or retaliated beyond telling them to “stop kicking and assaulting me, and that I was prepared to be arrested - but they continued to do so".

NONEYap also said he knew tear gas canisters had been fired at the Chinese Maternity Hospital car park because the police themselves had to avoid a still-smoking canister when taking him away.

His testimony contradicts the authorities' insistence that no tear gas had been fired at the Tung Shin hospital.

The police and Health Ministry had initially denied that water cannon were launched into the hospital compound. Following widely-circulated video evidence, however, they changed their stance accordingly.

Arrested, but not told why

Questioned by the Suhakam panel - comprising vice-chairperson Khaw Lake Tee, Dr Mahmood Zuhdi Ab Majid and Detta Samen - Yap said he could not identify the personnel who had assaulted him. Neither could he see anything else because the t-shirt covered his head.

"I was arrested, but they did not tell me why. As police were (securing my hands with) plastic handcuffs, an officer who was passing by shouted at me, asking why I had protested. He said that if I was not satisfied, I should ‘go back to Singapore’.

"I did not reply. While waiting to board a police truck at Dataran Maybank, another officer, whom I cannot identify, also hurled abuse, saying ‘Kamu Cina, apa lagi kamu tak puas hati?' (You Chinese, what are you still unsatisfied about?)."

Yap said those arrested were taken to the police training centre in Cheras, and that he was eventually released about 7.15pm.

NONEHe produced photographs that revealed bruises on his left eye, back, right leg and left side of the chest.

Khaw asked if he had lodged a police report about his injuries, but Yap replied ‘No’.

“I thought it was just (minor since) there were no fractures. There was one (person) who passed away and another who suffered fractures, which was more serious,” he said.

Pressed by police representative Jamaluddin Abd Rahman as to why he had not lodged a report, Yap replied he did not think the force would act on it.

“After all this was a Bersih gathering and I did not think the police would take any action if I lodged (a report). Furthermore, I feared that the police would act against me instead,” he said.

Yap said the police have yet to tell him the reason for his arrest.

NONEReplying to questions from Bar Council representative Roger Chan (left), he said the police did not inform him whether he had been released on police bail or whether bail was granted under Section 28A of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Quizzed by Mahmood Zuhdi, Yap said he was aware - through the media - that the gathering had been declared illegal and that wearing the Bersih T-shirt was prohibited.

However, he had defied this because he felt there is a need for change and that the gathering was for a noble cause.

Answering Khaw as to his feelings when verbally abused by the police, Yap quipped: “I think Malaysia is better than Singapore” and said he would not want to leave the country.

The public inquiry will continue on a date to be fixed later.