Keadilan leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry today that the riot police attacked a gathering of some 10,000 reformasi supporters on Nov 5 without giving any prior warning for the crowd to disperse.

"It was senseless to attack us. We wanted to disperse and go home," Wan Azizah told the three-member panel.

"But before that could happen, there was commotion all around us and I think two to three people covered me and shielded me with their bodies," she said.

Wan Azizah said that when she and other reformasi supporters were blocked by the police from proceeding to the "100,000 People's Gathering" at Jalan Kebun in Klang, she gave a speech in front of a crowd at Kesas Highway.

She added that four opposition representatives were about to meet the police officers on duty to inform that they were prepared to disperse. Instead, the police turned on the participants, she said.

Wan Azizah also recalled that the people around her were shouting, "Gas! Gas! FRU! FRU!"

"It was all happening very fast. I could feel the gas and I saw a boy beside me turned very pale. I was very worried about him.

"I never heard the riot policemen calling the people to disperse," she said, adding that by then she had already been pushed into a car by an assistant who was accompanied by another man.

The assistant, Shaiful Khairy Kamaruzaman, had earlier testified that he was hit directly in the head by a tear-gas canister while sitting on the boot of Wan Azizah's car.

"I only knew of his injury after I arrived at home. I visited him three days later in the hospital and he told me how he was injured.

"He was on the boot (of the car), and when he saw the missile coming, he managed to avoid its full impact. Nevertheless, he fell," she said.

She then commented that tear-gas canisters were only to be fired into the air and not directly at people.

When a panel member Mehrun Siraj asked her what the effects of the chemical irritants were, Wan Azizah said that it had caused severe rashes on Shaiful's face.

"His eyes were blinded, he could not breathe and he was coughing out copious amounts of mucus," she said.

Unity talks

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Wan Azizah said that the arrests of Keadilan leaders Ezam Mohd Nor and Azmin Ali appeared to contradict Umno's call for Malay unity.

"There is a conflict between the call for Malay unity and the way our party members are being treated. Only Keadilan party members are being charged," Wan Azizah said.

Ezam and Azmin were today charged for two offences relating to the recent Lunas by-election.

Wan Azizah added that instead of Malay unity, the talk should focus on national unity.

"We must be talk on national integration, uniting Malaysia, social justice, eradication of poverty regardless of race," she said.

When asked about the current condition of her husband, former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim who is serving a 15-year jail sentence, she said that he was "improving".

Last month, Anwar was hospitalised after complaining of back pains.

"We are grateful for all the medical assistance given to him," she said.

However, she lamented that she had to apply for permission from the authorities to visit Anwar in hospital.

The Suhakam inquiry, which is headed by former judge Anuar Zainal Abidin, will continue tomorrow at 9.30am in its headquarters in Menara Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.