The Saturday night event in Terengganu was not a PAS or Keadilan rally. It was a rally organised by Bersih, the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections consisting of the opposition parties and civil society organisations such as Persatuan Ulama’ Malaysia, Women’s Development for Change and Citizens Health Initiative. Anyone in opposition politics can testify how Bersih’s activities have been tame affairs, that does not rouse the passions of the crowd. Yet, they have been successful in getting the Elections Commision to accept the indelible ink proposal.
Even in the typical ceramah or peaceful demonstration, no one brings molotov cocktails. Many demonstrators bring young kids and prams – although not in the same extent as those in anti-war rallies in the West – but its usually a good natured affair with singing, speeches and cheering.
That’s why I’m skeptical about the flag burning and molotov cocktails at the Bersih event.
And live bullets? When Tan Sri Khalid mentioned specifically ‘live bullets’ when we met yesterday, in my head it registered as rubber bullets because the use of live ammunition in dealing with a demonstration was utterly outrageous. There were water cannons and FRU personnel with batons nearby, which should be the more intermediate course of action to disperse the crowd.
Even if its true that stones were thrown at the policeman, why should he immediately fire a shot directly at the person? There’s only one image when I think in a battle of guns versus rocks – the Israeli army dealing with Palestinians in the West Bank.
The procedure to fire a gun is clear:
a) First, shoot in the air
b) If that is not successful, shoot below the waist, particularly at the leg
c) Only if that is not successful, can the gun be aimed at the body of the attacker
Is this procedure not meaningful? I have a lot of respect for many policemen and women who work hard at low pay to serve the public, but their actions must be regulated by strict standards and procedures as the consequence of abuse can be immense. Imagine, had the same brutality occurred in the West with Muslim protesters as the victims, then we would all condemn the brutality and talk about human rights. When it happens in our own backyard, Muslim police shooting another Muslim, then it’s self defense to face an unruly Opposition.
Why are some people utterly desperate? They control the media, the police and the government machinery. Why are they so scared of the a peaceful coalition rally that they need to respond with gunshot and then the most vile propaganda I’ve seen in years about ‘the opposition rioting’? Nat mentioned that it’s a V for Vendetta scenario. NST even had the nerve to say that Keadilan was behind it all: useful spin – riots and Reformasi.
Why not cover our Malaysian Economic Agenda extensively? Why not cover our numerous peaceful ceramahs – Datuk Seri Anwar has visited every state in the past two months (sometimes twice!), bringing the Agenda and telling the people about change? He tells the public that we too should be concerned that every Singaporean is 500% richer and South Koreans 300% richer, just as the French were concerned that they are 15% poorer than Britain. These were peaceful events, with young children chasing each other amidst the attentive adults, of Malays being told that we must be fair to all races because that is what Islam enjoins.
Gunshots may kill people, but it will not kill our spirit. Never, ever. We love this country too much to let it go to the dogs.
I shudder to think how our founding fathers are in their graves when they reflect the ‘fireworks’ just as we turned 50.
The bright young Hidayat Saifuddin, fresh out of university and Deputy Info Chief of Keadilan Youth has written a long analysis on the matter.
Violence is the refuge of the weak and the incompetent.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:52 pmIt is confirmed that the gunshot is fire by a plain coat police. Now that is the dumbest thing I ever heard about unprofressionalism about the forces : who the hell think of the idea planting plain coat with a gun inside the crowd!
September 10th, 2007 at 11:05 pmHomemade bombs, molotov cocktails, parang.. (as reported)
Are those things really necessary?
Every action, there’s a reaction. I still believe there must be a strong reason why shots were fired.
But then again, wish I was there to witness who’s the culprit. So that I can comment more.Second hand infos are doubtful to me.
September 11th, 2007 at 4:11 pmKalau betul-betul berhimpun demi negara dan inginkan keadilan untk negara tercinta, tidak perlulah bakar bendera negara sendiri.
September 24th, 2007 at 2:06 amAmbil ikhtibar dengan kisah perjuangan perajurit-perajurit negara. Walau ditembak dan ditusuk dengan senjata, bendera negara tetap dipertahankan.
Masalahnya betulkah pembangkang bakar bendera? Begitu banyak perhimpunan selama ini, pembangkang tak sekali-kali bakar bendera. Malah pada perhimpunan di Masjid Negara pada 20 September 1998, Jalur Gemilang yang dikibarkan oleh rakyat Malaysia yang inginkan perubahan.
September 24th, 2007 at 6:08 amJeg,
“Homemade bombs, molotov cocktails, parang.. (as reported)”
Key words: ‘as reported’
Nowadays it is next to impossible to even elicit the truth from what is being reported even in the news. The inconsistency of the Malaysian press and media has turned me into a skeptic! So i guess, don’t trust everything that gets put out in our local newspapers or news.
September 24th, 2007 at 7:22 am