Buzz Sociopolitics Malaysia: Kee Thuan Chyes Take on BERSIH3.0

Kee Thuan Chyes Take on BERSIH3.0

May 1, 2012

www.malaysiandigest.com

Sunday, 29 Apr 2012 22:19
Last updated upon Sunday, 29 Apr 2012 23:55

Let's Tell the Main Story of Bersih 3.0

by Kee Thuan Chye

A couple of hooligans injured the successful convene for an critical cause. The ensuing assault became the provender of mainstream media spin. It diverted attention from the main story of the day as well as which is which many, most people turned up for BERSIH 3.0 in Kuala Lumpur, togged in mystic yellow, as well as the convene was the outrageous success.

What got pale was the summary which Malaysians stood up to be counted over the emanate of free as well as satisfactory elections. If the series which showed up was reported, it got buried in the pile of the some-more thespian reports about the violence.

What got pale was the summary which the Government, the Election Commission as well as everybody concerned in the electoral process contingency now take heed as well as hospital genuine electoral remodel prior to the 13th ubiquitous choosing is held.

Having been to both BERSIH 2.0 as well as BERSIH 3.0, you can confidently contend which there were many, most some-more during BERSIH 3.0 than during the preceding convene last July. Those who were there upon Apr 28 can attest which the convene was paci! fic ind eed, the protestors shared the strong clarity of intercourse (everyone there who was the stranger felt similar to the friend) as well as the atmosphere was gratifying as well as although the afternoon heat added to the annoy of bodies dire opposite any alternative as protestors shuffled towards Dataran Merdeka, there was calm, there was tolerance, buoyed by the clarity of purpose.

I was between the people relocating along Jalan Tun Perak towards the intersection with Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman as well as Jalan Raja. It was so packed which during the single point when you were educated to lay down, it was roughly impossible to do so. There was literally station room only. But people were well-behaved. Our fervor was voiced in shouting "BERSIH! BERSIH!" Someone played upon the drum as well as you chanted to the rhythm of his beats.

There was not the single hint of potential violence. So you sidled my way forward to get to the barricade of spiny wire which had been set up by the military to keep us out of the Dataran area. you managed to get flattering close to it.

Then suddenly, you saw gas wafting down from the monorail dike above. This was followed by the sound of rip gas shots. It was all really sudden. The throng turned as well as moved quickly back. If people had panicked, it competence have led to the stampede. As it was, you kept the cool, though even so there was the tiny measure of pushing, so it was easy to eventuality as well as fall. you saw the single immature lady being attended to by healing volunteers for carrying sustained an injury.

Meanwhile, the gas was attacking my ears as well as nose although you had the hankie pulpy to the reduce partial of my face. you decided to head divided from the trouble spot. But from Petaling Street, the military were firing rip gas as! well. A nd this strike me the worst. you couldn't breathe. My nostrils were filled with mucus. you blew my nose, though you still couldn't breathe. you suspicion you competence collapse.

But fellow protestors were helpful. They readily offering salt. you took some, as well as it helped. A Good Samaritan was giving divided free ice cubes from his cart, parked next to the road. you dug in to them as well as scooped the little in to my handkerchief.

It was time to go home. you saw others carrying the same thought. Many of us headed for the nearest LRT station. you had no idea thereafter which the means of all the tear-gassing had been the try by the couple of between the throng to crack the barricade during Dataran. you had no idea which H2O cannons had additionally been employed.

I usually found out an hour later when the crony SMSed me about the violence. you was stunned. More than that, you felt sad. Was the assault caused by hooligans who were planted? To emanate an situation which would take divided the excellence of BERSIH 3.0's success?

Why mangle by the barricade? What would it have achieved? What was the design of getting in to the square? BERSIH 3.0 had already done the point by the massive turnout. Its co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasen had by thereafter called upon everybody to disperse.

So since was there the organisation of people who still longed for to charge forward? The reports upon what actually happened have not been transparent nor conclusive. Some contend which PKR Deputy President as well as Member of Parliament Azmin incited the throng to mangle the barricade. If it's true, Azmin was working irresponsibly.

Some additionally contend which members of PAS's Unit Amal were between those who pennyless through. If it's true, PAS n! eeds to deal with them severely, since their movement would have brought the unit the detriment of respect.

On the alternative hand, have been the Police blameless?Why did they not instantly nab the couple of who pennyless by the barricade as well as thereby passage the try in the bud, thereafter emanate the unrelenting warning to stop others from advancing? After all, the FRU personnel keeping guard were many.

Why were they so trigger-happy as well as true divided shot rip gas in to the crowd? Some people were strike by the canisters. Worse, if there had been the stampede, people could have died. Were the Police working responsibly? And since did the Police fire rip gas from the non-barricaded areas in Jalan Pudu as well as Petaling Street as well? People were already dispersing as well as starting home.

Why was the Police plea so vicious? Why did they become aggressors? Looking during the videos taken of the little of the arrests they subsequently made, the single can see how vindictively they beat up their quarry, beyond the bounds of decency.

Perhaps it was the irritation of the rip gas as well as H2O cannons which riled the protestors in to working similar to monsters. Perhaps they were not genuine BERSIH supporters, merely people out to have mischief during your convenience they saw an opportunity. Perhaps they were hired thugs. Nonetheless, the military should have acted with restraint.

I'm inclined to suspect which the people who resorted to assault were hired thugs.

As The Malaysian Insider reported:

"About 1,000-odd protestors spread along Jalan Tun Perak as well as Jalan Raja Laut continued to challenge military orders even after the convene ended during 4pm, taunting as well as jeering the men in blue Amid the c! haos, ru mours were being spread which during slightest 4 protesters had died in the melee, with claims which the single was even shot dead, further fuelling the crowd's anger."

This sounds similar to people were out to emanate mischief, generally by spreading false rumors of deaths. Videos of the military automobile which crashed near Sogo additionally appear to prove which it had been pounded by mischief-makers, including the single who trampled upon the roof even as it was moving. And afterwards, the automobile was overturned, though for what genuine reason?

Was it not to yield thespian images for the media which would have BERSIH look bad? Was it not to overwhelm the images of the sea of yellow flowing towards Dataran when the convene was during tall tide?

On the eve of the rally, the Facebook crony of mine who seemed to know sent the message: "Just the word of warning. There may be 'hired' bouncers sent to Dataran Merdeka this Saturday So usually be rebuilt for that."

A TV station additionally reported which the Bandar Tun Razak branch of PEKIDA (Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia, the gangster arm of UMNO) had spoken war (perang) upon BERSIH 3.0 as well as warned which the members would go to the convene as well as fight it to the end. "We do not care if you have been taken in to the lock-up, you will do what you promised," pronounced the chairman, Ahmad Bastari Muslim.

Do you add two as well as two as well as come up with four? Whatever it was, which organisation which pennyless the barricade is the really tiny minority. And certainly, the organisation which pounded the Police automobile constitutes the deviant minority. They should not be allowed to take divided the great which BERSIH 3.0 represents.

And let us not dont think about which when the throng tried t! o attack the Policemen after their automobile came to the stop, it was PKR's Jingga 13 who stable the cops from being spoiled until the ambulance came to take them away.

If by the conservative estimate, 100,000 people were during the rally, you can vouch which during slightest 99,000 were not troublemakers. That's an overwhelming percentage of people with great intentions. Why deface the convene since of the couple of bad apples, who competence even have been planted?

In Penang (7,000 participants), Ipoh (4,000), Melaka (3,000), Johor Baru (3,000), Kuching (500), Miri (2,000), Kota Kinabalu (500) as well as alternative vital cities, the protests went upon peacefully. So what does which indicate? BERSIH supporters have been not out to emanate violence.

Before the KL rally, an e-mail was sent out upon the do's as well as don'ts for the pacific gathering. People were suggested not to bring weapons or sharp objects, not even umbrellas. Then upon the day itself, usually prior to the convene started, Bersih 3.0's organizers conducted the briefing as well as reminded the throng massed outward Pasar Seni about the need to say peace as well as not retaliate opposite provocation.

The primary irritation came, ironically, from Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL). It denied BERSIH3.0 the right to hold the sit-down protest during Dataran. It pronounced Dataran was usually for "national events". But if the outrageous partial of the population wants to voice the feelings for something it deems important, which should already constitute the "national event".

Besides, DBKL was not honest in giving which reason; Dataran has been used prior to for non-national events, similar to Nestle's 100th year celebration, OCBC Cycle Malaysia, Barisan National Y! outh Rid e Fest 2012.

Clearly, the Government outsourced the bad-guy purpose to DBKL this time after carrying learned the doctrine from mishandling BERSIH 2.0, as well as this time, DBKL mishandled it. The spiny wire around Dataran was unnecessary; it essentially valid to be provocative. So if any one could be blamed for inspiring anger, it would be DBKL.

Let us, however, not be dreaming by all the ugliness which has injured the convene in KL as well as restore due credit to BERSIH 3.0. It drew Malaysians from all races, all ages, all walks of life, able-bodied as well as otherwise, to an eventuality which the little of the participants have spoken was "for the great of the country's future".

It drew Malaysians in alternative vital Malaysian cities as well as those in 85 cities as well as towns via the world. It gave voice to Malaysians who want electoral remodel prior to the 13th ubiquitous election.

Let us not cloud the issue. The people have spoken. Will those in authority choose to listen or merely harp upon the ugly incidents? Their preference could confirm the destiny of Malaysia.

*The views voiced here have been the personal perspective of the writer.