Cops testify in inquest, no clashes in KLCC
Hazlan ZakariaPublished: Feb 1, 2012 1:52 AM | Updated: Feb 1, 2012 1:58 AM
Neither tear gas nor chemical-laced water were fired, and police action around KLCC was not aggressive, testified police ground commanders at the second day of the inquest into the death of a taxi driver during last year's Bersih 2.0 electoral reform rally.
Neither tear gas nor chemical-laced water were fired, and police action around KLCC was not aggressive, testified police ground commanders at the second day of the inquest into the death of a taxi driver during last year's Bersih 2.0 electoral reform rally.
Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) field commander of the area, superintendent Zahari Mohd Yusoff, went as far as denying that clashes took place around Kuala Lumpur's iconic twin towers.
"The situation there was calm, there were no disturbances," Zahari told the inquest into Baharuddin Ahmad's death at the Magistrates Court yesterday.
He insisted that the only action Troop 3C - the sole FRU unit present there during the July 9 rally - undertook was to mount roadblocks, but did not fire a single tear gas cannister nor used their truncheons and shields.
He described with some levity that the only excitement was when the Troop 9 mounted police arrived and bystanders posed for photos with the horses.
Zahari, the sixth witness to testify before coroner Zulkpli Abdullah, admitted that he was only aware of what was happening at the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Yap Kwan Seng intersection near the Public Bank building.
According to him, a little further along both the roads were watched over by two other General Operations Force (GOF) Public Order Riot Unit (Poru) detachments.
Cops opted not to fire tear gas despite ordered
Zahari agreed that there could have been other incidents that he was not aware of or were not reported to him, especially since allied police units in areas Poru 38 and Poru 47 were outside of his area of command.
His account differed slightly from that of police inspector Shamsul Baharin Kadir, who admitted that things were of some concern at the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Tun Abdul Razak intersection where he mounted a barricade.
Shamsul, who commanded the Kuala Terengganu-based Poru 47 drawn from the GOF's 9th Battalion, said that he was confronted by over 3,000 protesters whose numbers continued to swell.
"I radioed for instructions and was ordered by the Dang Wangi OCPD to fire tear gas into the crowd," he said.
However, he decided against firing tear gas as he deemed it "inappropriate", and ordered his men to advance toward the crowd instead.
He related that on seeing his men advance, the crowd started to disperse, and that there was no need for him to resort to "further action".
Shamsul was adamant that no tear gas was fired by his unit around the KLCC building.
Water cannon deployed, but not used
The next witness, FRU watercannon vehicle commander inspector Mohd Rustam Mohd Nor, confirmed Shamsul's account of a large crowd near the KLCC, on the road leading to Ampang Park passing in front of the main Suria KLCC entrance and the Avenue K mall across the road.
Commanding Watercannon Crew 2A from Johor's FRU Unit Two detachment - the only watercannon in the area at the time - he confirmed that he together with Poru 38 met head on with a large group but denied that any clash took place.
"Arriving at the scene, I saw a large crowd. I requested Poru 38 to give way so that my water cannon can help control the situation.
"When I took position in front of Poru 38, the crowd dispersed and ran off towards Ampang Park... I don't know why, maybe they thought we were going to take further action," said Mohd Rustam.
He admitted to seeing the protesters running away in front of Avenue K Mall and Ampang Park premises.
However, Mohd Rustam could not confirm if any other action was taken by Poru 38 or other units against the protesters as he "came late".
But the water cannon commander was adamant that his crew did not discharge their riot-control weapon at the fleeing protesters around KLCC.
Inquest continues on Thursday
Avenue K was where Baharuddin was found unconscious and unresponsive after he collapsed, for reasons as yet not determined in the inquest.
Police claimed that Baharuddin (right) suffered a heart attack, while family members and Bersih 2.0 compatriots believe otherwise; some claiming that the taxi driver was the victim of tear gas exposure, chemical-laced water or police action.
Eyewitnesses had described that the group of protesters ran into Avenue K and towards Ampang Park after an alleged clash with police riot units.
The three police officers were the first batch of police witnesses called during the afternoon session. The Poru 38 commander will be called when the inquest reconvenes at 11am on Thursday.
Earlier yesterday, Baharuddin's daughter Kuala Lumpur Hospital houseperson Ummi Mirza Baharuddin took the stand.
Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) field commander of the area, superintendent Zahari Mohd Yusoff, went as far as denying that clashes took place around Kuala Lumpur's iconic twin towers.
"The situation there was calm, there were no disturbances," Zahari told the inquest into Baharuddin Ahmad's death at the Magistrates Court yesterday.
He insisted that the only action Troop 3C - the sole FRU unit present there during the July 9 rally - undertook was to mount roadblocks, but did not fire a single tear gas cannister nor used their truncheons and shields.He described with some levity that the only excitement was when the Troop 9 mounted police arrived and bystanders posed for photos with the horses.
Zahari, the sixth witness to testify before coroner Zulkpli Abdullah, admitted that he was only aware of what was happening at the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Yap Kwan Seng intersection near the Public Bank building.
According to him, a little further along both the roads were watched over by two other General Operations Force (GOF) Public Order Riot Unit (Poru) detachments.
Cops opted not to fire tear gas despite ordered
Zahari agreed that there could have been other incidents that he was not aware of or were not reported to him, especially since allied police units in areas Poru 38 and Poru 47 were outside of his area of command.
His account differed slightly from that of police inspector Shamsul Baharin Kadir, who admitted that things were of some concern at the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Tun Abdul Razak intersection where he mounted a barricade.
Shamsul, who commanded the Kuala Terengganu-based Poru 47 drawn from the GOF's 9th Battalion, said that he was confronted by over 3,000 protesters whose numbers continued to swell.
"I radioed for instructions and was ordered by the Dang Wangi OCPD to fire tear gas into the crowd," he said.
However, he decided against firing tear gas as he deemed it "inappropriate", and ordered his men to advance toward the crowd instead.
He related that on seeing his men advance, the crowd started to disperse, and that there was no need for him to resort to "further action".
Shamsul was adamant that no tear gas was fired by his unit around the KLCC building.
Water cannon deployed, but not used
The next witness, FRU watercannon vehicle commander inspector Mohd Rustam Mohd Nor, confirmed Shamsul's account of a large crowd near the KLCC, on the road leading to Ampang Park passing in front of the main Suria KLCC entrance and the Avenue K mall across the road.
Commanding Watercannon Crew 2A from Johor's FRU Unit Two detachment - the only watercannon in the area at the time - he confirmed that he together with Poru 38 met head on with a large group but denied that any clash took place.
"Arriving at the scene, I saw a large crowd. I requested Poru 38 to give way so that my water cannon can help control the situation.
"When I took position in front of Poru 38, the crowd dispersed and ran off towards Ampang Park... I don't know why, maybe they thought we were going to take further action," said Mohd Rustam.
He admitted to seeing the protesters running away in front of Avenue K Mall and Ampang Park premises.
However, Mohd Rustam could not confirm if any other action was taken by Poru 38 or other units against the protesters as he "came late".
But the water cannon commander was adamant that his crew did not discharge their riot-control weapon at the fleeing protesters around KLCC.
Inquest continues on Thursday
Avenue K was where Baharuddin was found unconscious and unresponsive after he collapsed, for reasons as yet not determined in the inquest.
Police claimed that Baharuddin (right) suffered a heart attack, while family members and Bersih 2.0 compatriots believe otherwise; some claiming that the taxi driver was the victim of tear gas exposure, chemical-laced water or police action.Eyewitnesses had described that the group of protesters ran into Avenue K and towards Ampang Park after an alleged clash with police riot units.
The three police officers were the first batch of police witnesses called during the afternoon session. The Poru 38 commander will be called when the inquest reconvenes at 11am on Thursday.
Earlier yesterday, Baharuddin's daughter Kuala Lumpur Hospital houseperson Ummi Mirza Baharuddin took the stand.
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