Bersih 3.0: Three times more tear-gas than Bersih 2.0

Three times more tear-gas munitions were used against Bersih 3.0 rally-goers on April 28 than in the previous demonstration for clean and fair elections.

Replying to Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), the Home Ministry said  909 tear-smoke shells (TS shells) - which are fired with tear-gas launchers - and 58 tear-smoke grenades (TS grenades) - which are hand thrown - were used against the protesters.

The government also incurred a loss of RM1.8 million from the "illegal rally", added minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

During the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 last year, 262 tear gas canisters had been used to disperse more than 10,000 protesters.

In another written reply, the minister said only two police personnel were identified to have acted outside the standard operating procedures (SOP).

Fong had asked the ministry to state how many police officers had breached regulations during the Bersih 3.0 rally.

She had also asked if the officers had acted appropriately, and details of the SOP for personnel tasked with ensuring that the rally was orderly.

Hishammuddin said "the police acted in accordance within established SOP to control the situation from becoming more violent and disrupting public peace and safety”.

"However, the ministry views the breach of the SOP seriously and two police officers have been charged in court," he said.

He also indicated the government's seriousness in curbing abuse of power, stressing that the  independent panel headed by former police chief Hanif Omar will also investigate the matter.

Police ‘investigating protests’

Seputeh DAP MP Teresa Kok raised the matter of the ‘butt and burger’ protests in front of Bersih 3.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan’s house.

A group of army veterans and 'disgruntled' traders had separately protested about the rally, one group citing the ‘smear’ on the country’s image and the other claiming to have collectively lost millions of ringgit because of the rally in Kuala Lumpur.
   
In a written reply, Hishammuddin said the Brickfields police headquarters are investigating the protests under Section 5 of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

"Overall the police have acted ... to protect every layer of society without fear or favour to ensure public safety and peace," he claimed.