SUHAKAM Public Inquiry on "Bloody Sunday" - Day 8 (last day)

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS

Today is the last day of the inquiry. The findings of the inquiry will be produced at end of the year.

Today’s witnesses:

1. Constable Raja Ahmad Raja Manshor (W39)
2. Constable Shahrul Yaafar(W40)
3. Constable Muhamad Firdaus Rosli (W41)
4. Constable Wan Mohd. Shukri bin Omar (W42)
5. Corporal Jasman Aris (W43)
6. Constable Zamri Hussin (W44)
7. Constable Kamarul Ismail (W45)
8. Constable Abdul Nasser Peping (W46)
9. Lance Corporal Mustika Lamonding (W47)
10.Constable Mohd. Faizal Ahmad (W48)
11.Constable Andyracky Anak Nyalong (W49)
12.Constable Awang Azizul Azreen (W50)
13.Constable Mohd. Fadhli Kassim (W51)
14.Constable Marzuki Mat Din (W52)
15.Constable Yusri Yusof (W53)
16.Constable Wan Masrose Wan Salleh (W54)

Most FRU personnel could not recognize their colleagues

The public inquiry started at 9am today. Sixteen witnesses were called to testify in front of the inquiry panel. Most of them were only asked to identify their colleagues in either still photos or video clips.

39^th witness: Baton can only be used when rioters try to hurt the police

Constable Raja Ahmad Raja Manshor (hereinafter referred to as Raja Ahmad) has positively identified 2 FRU personnel who pushed Zahir Hassan (W17) and Lee Huat Seng (W8). They are Andyracky (pushed W8) and Zamri (pushed W17). Raja Ahmad has also identified Mustika Lamonding who was seen swinging his baton to hit W8.

Raja Ahmad told the panel that baton can only be used when rioters try to hurt the police. Besides, Raja Ahmad also thinks that giving a hefty shove to people who are trying to move away is no good.

40^th witness: I did not use my baton and shield at all

Constable Shahrul Yaafar (hereinafter referred to as Shahrul) told the panel that the FRU personnel in his section (section 2) moved forward to chase the crowd away from the Suria KLCC entrance. He also said that he did not use his shield and baton at all when dealing with crowd control.

Shahrul has positively identified Zamri and Marzuki from the exhibits.

41^st witness: Whoever did not run away”kena”-lah

Constable Muhamad Firdaus Rosli (hereinafter referred to as Firdaus) could not identify anyone of his colleagues from the exhibits.

Firdaus denied that the FRU were shoving the crowd. According to him, the FRU were merely moving forward with the shield in front of them. Whoever did not run away will “kena”-lah.

42^nd witness: I was merely asking them to leave

Constable Wan Mohd. Shukri bin Omar (hereinafter referred to as Wan) told the panel that he did not use any of his equipments. He was merely asking the crowd to go back. He left those who refused to leave to the arresting squad.

Wan could recognize himself, Kamarul Ismail and Jasman Aris from the exhibits.

43^rd witness: We only stopped the “rioters” verbally

Corporal Jasman Aris (hereinafter referred to as Jasman) told the panel that his section (Section 3) did not receive any instruction to move forward. They were only assisting the other sections when the crowd moved towards the entrance of Suria KLCC.

Jasman further testified that they (FRU from Section 3) only stopped the “rioters” verbally. But when some of the crowd tried to move forward, the FRU prevented them by using hands and weapons (rifle and gas gun).

Jasman could identify Zamri, Wan Masrose, Marzuki and himself from the exhibits. He told the panel that he did not see anyone bleeding.

44^th witness: We could use batons only if the instruction was to attack

Constable Zamri bin Hussin (hereinafter referred to as Zamri) told the panel that he used shield and asked the crowd to disperse verbally. He did not use baton on that day. Zamri told the panel that they could use batons if the instruction was to attack.

Zamri could only identify himself and Corporal Jasman from the exhibits.

45^th witness: There is no need to use the butt of gas gun

Constable Kamarul Ismail (hereinafter referred to as Kamarul) told the panel that he used shield to prevent and push to disperse the crowd. However, he later modified his testimony by saying that his usage of shield was to protect himself because the crowd was pushing.

Kamarul also told the panel that he did not use baton on that day. Answering a question from the panel members, Kamarul conceded that there is no need to use the butt of gas gun to prevent the crowd from moving towards the entrance of Suria KLCC.

46^th witness: There was no physical contact with the crowd

Constable Abdul Nasser Peping (hereinafter referred to as Nasser) confirmed that Section 3 did not receive any instruction to move forward on 28 May. Despite there was no instruction, Nasser told the panel that he did move back to block the entrance of Suria KLCC. He said there was no physical contact with the crowd when he moved.

47^th witness: I used baton to threaten the crowd, but it did not hit anyone

Lance Corporal Mustika Lamonding (hereinafter referred to as Mustika) told the panel that he did receive instruction to move forward into the crowd. He pushed the people with shield towards Jalan Ampang.

Mustika admitted that he did use baton to threaten the crowd who refused to disperse. However, he said he was merely swing the baton to intimidate but it did not hit anyone.

48^th witness: “The guy” might be avoiding the weapon from the people

Constable Mohd. Faizal Ahmad (hereinafter referred to as Faizal) was positively identified by his superior in one of the exhibits. He was seen holding the gas gun as if he was hitting someone on the ground. When the aforesaid photo was shown to him, Faizal could not identify himself. He said he is not sure.

However, he told the panel that “the guy” might be avoiding the weapon from the people.

49^th witness: I could not identify anyone

Constable Andyracky Anak Nyalong could not identify anyone from all the exhibits.

50^th witness: I could not identify anyone

Constable Awang Azizul Azreen told the panel that he did receive instruction to disperse the crowd. He too, could not identify anyone from the exhibits.


51^st witness: I am not sure who carried gas gun that day

Constable Mohd. Fadhli Kassim only told that he carried gas gun on the 28^th of May, but he is not sure who else carried a gas gun in his section.

52^nd witness: I was merely holding it (gas gun)

Constable Marzuki Mat Din told the panel that he carried a gas gun, but he was merely holding it and trying to push, in order to prevent the people from entering KLCC. He identified himself in exhibit 16N.

53^rd witness: I know all the personnel who carried gas gun

Constable Yusri Yusof carried a gas gun on 28 May. He identified some of his colleagues from the exhibits.

54^th witness: I do not know what was happening

Constable Wan Masrose Wan Salleh identified himself in exhibit 16N. He was standing beside the personnel who look like hitting someone with gas gun butt. However, he told the panel that he does not know what was happening then.

After calling 54 witnesses, SUHAKAM wraps up the public inquiry. Dato’ KC Vohrah, chairperson of the panel thanks all parties that have given full cooperation to SUHAKAM. SUHAKAM will produce the findings of the report at the end of the year.