Liow, lie, deny, blame, now says sorry. Good dog! ;)

@ The Malaysian Insider

Liow blames Tung Shin for tear gas denial

By Melissa Chi

October 05, 2011

@ Malaysiakini

Liow says sorry for Tung Shin slip-up

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai today apologised for initially denying that anti-riot weapons were discharged on protesters seeking refuge at the Tung Shin hospital during the Bersih rally on July 9, following the confirmation by a high-level Health Ministry probe which confirmed that water cannon jet streams and a “smoke bomb” had been discharged in the hospital compound.

Liow said two days after the rally the hospital authorities had reported to him that the hospital was not hit by the weapons.

Following his initial denial that sparked widespread condemnation despite numerous pictures and video footages spread online that proved that anti-riot weapons were fired into the hospital compound, Liow announced the formation of the investigative committee, which yesterday confirmed that some police personnel had breached standard operating procedures in the Tung Shin incident.


Liow said in Putrajaya this morning, “When I was relaying the hospital’s report (to the public), I had caused different interpretation among different people, and causing misunderstandings. Based on the disturbance that I had caused, I would like to express my apologies.”

On the “smoke bomb”, which the probe had confirmed landed in Chinese Maternity Hospital adjacent to Tung Shin, Liow said that it should not be confused with tear gas as a smoke bomb and tear gas were very different - hence, they couldn't be compared.

The report by the committee confirmed that a police water cannon truck had fired at a multi-storey carpark inside Tung Shin’s compound, along with a “smoke bomb” but tear gas canisters did not make it into the compound and were fired into an adjacent carpark.