Tuesday, May 1, 2012

My Bersih 3.0 Experience: Behind the Barbed-Wire Barricades

It was the barbed wire that did it for me. Up til Friday afternoon I was still unsure about going. My hubby thought I'd already made my point last year. I was annoyed with continually being asked whether I was going or not, more so with the non-story that came out in M'kini which basically said I hadn't decided yet. I mean, does it matter?

Then I saw the photos of the police rolling out the barbed wire and I saw red. Since when did our police, or whoever is their boss, roll out barbed wire - barbed wire!! - against their own people?? Are we thugs? Terrorists? Thieves?

So I decided to go. I contacted friends and found out their plans on how to get round the roads which were sure to be blocked and the LRT which may be stopped. The same friend who so kindly offered to be my 'bodyguard' last year offered himself again. We got into my car, went to collect some other friends and drove to as close to Central Market as we could.
Women's groups together at Central Market.
Part of the way down Jln Brickfields we couldn't go any further so we got down to walk. On one side of the street were thousands of people in yellow walking in the direction of the Central Market. On the other side of the street were hundreds of police in their dark blue uniforms. But they didn't look hostile and just watched us go by.

We got to the Central Market which was swarming with people. Earlier I'd read a tweet that said that people were going into the Market to have lunch and my friends and I were laughing about Malaysians and their food. "Well," we said, "Central Market restaurants will get a lot of business!". But when we got there, the Market was totally closed. So all those restaurants lost business today!

Caught up with friends in the car park while we sat to wait. It was HOT!! On the little CM stage, Ambiga was seated there with many of our colleagues from women's groups. I went up to say hello, took some photos and then went down to wait again. At 1.20 or so, Ambi took the mike to announce that we were going to move off soon, heading towards Dataran Merdeka. But, she added, we were not to breach the barriers, we would only go as far as we could and then we would simply sit down for a while and then disperse.

The atmosphere was much more fiesta-like than last year. There were people in yellow t-shirts or in other colours, in shorts or in tudungs, lots of young ones and some also of a certain age. Like last year, it was a very diverse crowd. I bumped into some old friends, some young people I knew including a nephew and the children of some friends, and met some new ones, people who were coming to a rally for the first time ever. These were not radical highly-politicised types, just your average men and women, the type you'd meet at the supermarket perhaps. I asked one newbie woman why she came and she said it was because she realised that if she wanted change, then she had to do something.

After Ambiga spoke and a quick briefing by the marshalls, we moved off. Because of the crowd we made our way slowly, stopping every now and then to take photos of the awesome crowd and ourselves. At Central Market I estimated there were at least 6000 people that I could see (though I have to say I'm bad at estimates) but many many more joined us as we walked along.
The crowd moving from Central Market towards Dataran Merdeka (in a roundabout way)
When we got to Lebuh Pasar Besar, there was a big crowd on it facing the direction of Dataran Merdeka while others continued on to Jalan Tun Perak. We decided we would stay on Lebuh Pasar Besar (where the Bar Council is) and made our way towards the bridge across the Klang River (just before Agro Bank). That was where we had to stop because the police had put up a barrier of barbed wire (actually my husband said it's razor wire, not barbed wire) and those red plastic road barriers, all stamped 'DUKE'. On the other side of the barrier stood a whole row of police. Most look quite senior and they simply stood there and looked at us.
This is razor wire...
And this is barbed wire..
View of Lebuh Pasar Besar towards Dataran Merdeka. We are behind the barriers and the cops are beyond.
I got to the front of the barrier where someone had put up a sign that said 'Welcome to Tel Aviv'. It felt very accurate. The police recognised me and nodded. I asked them, "What is this?" pointing at the razor wire, which has blades on them which can seriously cut you if you get hurled on to them (see close-up pic above). The senior cop there shrugged and gave a wan smile. "This makes me sad," I said to him. Again he shrugged.

Pretty apt..
Me in front of the barricade. See the razor wire?
We stood there for a while. Some people started to sing Negara Ku so we all joined in. The senior cop who shrugged at me stood at attention, really the only one who did so. Some people started chanting 'Bukak, bukak!' meaning open the barriers. But overall there were high spirits but nothing provocative.

Then suddenly all the cops moved back, away from us. We were puzzled but in a short while we realised why. Several police trucks moved in and headed in our direction. For a moment I wondered if they were simply going to mow us down. Then they retreated again. Next a whole row of police with helmets, batons and shields formed in front of the trucks facing us. Again we wondered if they were going to charge us, which seems silly because they too would have come up against the razor wire.
Then the trucks came out...

And the shields and batons...
Someone then told us to sit down. So we did on our side of the barrier while on the other side, about 10 metres away, the police were lined up with their shields and batons. It looked like it was going to be a battle of wills, who would last longer in the heat . We were prepared to sit for the next two hours til 4pm, the appointed dispersal time.

After about 15 minutes sweating behind the razor wire, someone told us to move back and disperse. "We must use our brains. Don't provoke. It's time to move back."  So we moved away from the barriers and milled around the streets, just looking at people. Bumped into more friends and chatted to random people who said hello. It was a nice atmosphere, akin to going to a fun run or something like that.

We then read a Star tweet that said that Ambiga said Bersih 3.0 was already successful and we can all now disperse. So my friends and I made our way back to Brickfields, got into my car and drove home.

It was only after that that we started to get smses and tweets regarding teargas at Dataran Merdeka. It was a shock because up til then there was nothing to indicate that the police might do that, even when they brought the ones with the helmets and shields out. We passed many cops on our way home and they hardly looked at us.

My phone was running out of battery and I had to wait til I got home before hearing from my daughter that she had been teargassed. She was part of a team videostreaming the events today and was near Dataran Merdeka, stuck among thousands of people, when some people, against Bersih's instructions, breached the barriers and ran onto the Dataran.  The police then started running away from them and soon they saw why: the teargas canisters being fired at them. Her first time being teargassed, she said it was awful but people around her were all helping one another. What was more frightening was the fear of being crushed but luckily people were so mindful of this that if anyone fell, they were immediately given space and a hand up. She's fine though and I never really worried about her because she had a friend with her who was tasked with making sure she was alright.

(Her videos, along with those by others, are now on the Bersih428 Youtube channel).

Since reaching home, I've been trying to keep up with the many many reports on today's events, both the good and the bad. Yes, there were some people who misbehaved, let's be honest. We don't know who they are but in such a large crowd there are bound to be people like that, despite instructions from the Bersih steering committee and marshalls not to provoke anyone. There are also very likely agent provocateurs who are out to make trouble and discredit Bersih.

 But it doesn't detract from the fact that an unbelievable number of people turned out today, far more than last year, and compared to the incidents of bad behaviour, there was a far larger number of people who marched and rallied peacefully. I hardly saw anyone with a frown or a scowl but lots of happy smiles. Just like last year, I never once felt unsafe. Instead I felt part of a large Malaysian community, all together for one cause. Or two, since the anti-Lynas people also turned out in huge numbers.

Here's a report from the UK's Independent newspaper which is pretty accurate although there were far far more than 25000 people there. It was hard to see everybody but it had to be about 50000-80000. There are thousands and thousands of photos and videos being uploaded right now. So go take a look and decide for yourself. I also hope people will put up their personal stories too.

I'm sorry that there were people who got injured, both protestors and police. None of that was really necessary. A few weeks ago, at the International Women's Day rally in PJ, 5000 people turned up and there was absolutely no violence because the police left everyone alone to do their thing. The same could have happened today, if only the powers-that-be could have been wiser.

One more thing, about those politicians who were there. At Central Market there were some there but they were not allowed to speak. Along the march, if anyone started any chants that sounded political, others wouldn't take it up and they pretty soon petered out. Like last year, the most popular chants were those that simply said 'Bersih' and 'Hidup Rakyat'. Most were simple ordinary people, who just want to express how they feel and who really have no time for politicians.

Besides, which politician or political party, from any side, can mobilise anything as incredible as Global Bersih?

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Seperti diduga

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Mac — Bekas Jawatankuasa tertinggi Umno Dr Mohd Khir Toyo telah menyenaraikan lima negeri yang mungkin sukar untuk Barisan Nasional (BN) mengekalkan kedudukannya dalam pilihan raya akan datang, kerana formula lama yang digunakan untuk meraih undi tidak lagi berkesan.
Antara negeri yang dinamakan Khir adalah Pulau Pinang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, dan juga Kuala Lumpur, yang mana jumlah pengundinya tidak mempunyai perbezaan ketara antara Melayu dan bukan Melayu.
“Ini adalah negeri yang sukar, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Wilayah, jika kita lihat pengundi di sini, bilangan pengundi bukan Melayu adalah lebih kurang sama dengan pengundi Melayu, jumlah mereka tidak banyak berbeza.
“Negeri-negeri ini dalam bahaya,” kata Khir (gambar) kepadaThe Malaysian Insiderdalam temuramah eksklusif minggu lalu.
Bekas Menteri Besar Selangor itu berkata sementara Melayu masih lagi menyokong Umno, kebanyakan sokongan tersebut adalah daripada kumpulan pengundi di kawasan luar bandar, sementara pengundi “bandar” akan mengundi untuk Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
“Bukan kerana pembangkang bagus. tidak, mereka banyak kelemahan. Adakah mereka menunaikan janji mereka? Tidak.
“Namun pengundi bandar adalah sangat berbahaya di negeri-negeri ini. Masalahnya adalah menjadikan Umno terlalu dominan ... mungkin akan hilang negeri ini,” katanya.
Sementara Umno melakukan segala tugas BN akan menjadikan pengundi bukan Melayu seperti tidak berkuasa akan menyebabkan kurangnya sokongan kepada kerajaan.
“Saya belajar dari kesilapan saya. Menjadikan Umno terlalu dominan dalam BN adalah tidak baik. Kepimpinan negara perlu mempunyai strategi lain.
“Lihat PAS, mereka lebih berbahaya daripada Umno tapi bukan Melayu tetap menyokong mereka, kenapa? Kerana mereka tidak dominan dalam Pakatan,” tegas Khir.
Pemimpin Umno itu turut mengeluh kerana adalah sukar untuk mengukur sokongan terhadap BN daripada bangsa, dan menyalahkan parti komponen seperti MCA, MIC dan Gerakan kerana tidak cukup agresif.
Isu lain menurutnya adalah masalah pertuturan antara pengundi bukan Melayu dan Umno.
“MCA, MIC sepatutnya turun padang dan bercakap dengan pengundi. Umno sudah lakukannya untuk Melayu.
“Bila Umno cuba untuk berkomunikasi dengan bukan Melayu, kadangkala berlakunya halangan dari segi bahasa, contohnya, di bandar, mereka bertutur menggunakan bahasa Inggeris, tapi sesetengah pemimpin Umno tidak dapat memahaminya,” tambahnya lagi.
Jalan penyelesaiannya menurut Khir adalah BN perlu “memperkukuh” MCA, MIC, dan Gerakan dengan membenarkan mereka mengumumkan projek-projek untuk komuniti mereka selain pengumuman di buat oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Pemimpin Umno itu menjelaskan komuniti bukan Melayu telah hilang “hormat” kepada pemimpin parti komponen BN kerana mereka dilihat tidak mampu untuk membantu komuniti mereka sendiri.
“Itu sebabnya sekarang kita perlu berikan lebih kuasa kepada MCA dan MIC. Pastikan presiden parti mereka mengumumkan peruntukan untuk sekolah, untuk komuniti mereka. Sekiranya kita hanya mengharapkan perdana menteri dan timbalannya, Umno akan dilihat terlalu dominan, dan masyarakat Cina akan hilang kepercayaan terhadap pemimpin mereka.
“Itu masalahnya sekarang, saya sering ingatkan sekarang kita perlu tingkatkan peluang kepada parti lain untuk membuat keputusan mereka dan berikan mereka peruntukan,” tegasnya.
Khir turut memuji pentadbiran Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad ketika era pemerintahan beliau sebagai perdana menteri, dan oleh sebab itu pemimpin seperti Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu dan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik dihormati.
“Kekuatan Umno sahaja tidak akan mampu untuk memperoleh undi bukan Melayu seperti mana dilakukan untuk Melayu. BN Selangor harus bertindak seperti BN, bukan Umno. Kita sekarang berada di peringkat akhir sebelum pilihan raya.
“Sebab itu Samy Vellu seperti raja untuk bangsanya, kerana beliau mengumumkan peruntukan, bukan Dr Mahathir. Suatu ketika dahulu, pemimpin parti komponen begitu dihormati dan sangat kuat kerana mereka turun padang dan memberikan pelbagai benda ... menteri sekarang tiada faktor ‘umph’. Cuba lihat (Datuk Seri) Liow (Tiong Lai) dan (Datuk Seri) Kong Cho Ha.”
Menurut Khir, masih belum terlambat untuk melaksanakan perkara itu, namun perubahan harus dibuat dengan segera bagi membolehkan bukan Melayu menyokong BN.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Apakah sumbangan anda untuk PRU13

Apakah sumbangan yang anda dan ahli PAS boleh lakukan untuk kejayaan PAS pada Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) 13?

Abang Mat:

Saya nasihatkan setiap ahli PAS hendaklah berjumpa untuk besembang, berdialog dengan bukan ahli PAS dan mengajak mereka membuat perubahan.

Dengan memberikan contoh-contoh penyelewengan dan korupsi kerajaan BN, kita sama-sam memberitahu mereka untuk selamatkan negara dari muflis dan gantikan dengan negara berkebajikan.

Saya juga sarankan agar ahli PAS menggunakan Buku Jingga dan Negara Kebajikan terbitan PAS untuk mendekati mereka.

Sementara itu, saya akan memokuskan usaha bersama parti PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat untuk mengeratkan perpaduan antara parti dan ahli untuk berusaha membentuk kerajaan persekutuan dengan mengalahkan kerajaan BN di PRU-13 dan menzahirkan good governancedalam  pemerintahan negeri dan juga persekutuan.

Ustaz Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man:

PRU ke 13 adalah pilihanraya paling penting dalam perkembangan politik  negara kerana  umum akan melihat sejauh mana Pakatan Rakyat mampu mempertahankan kemenangan di negeri yang telah dimenangi, serta perkembangan politik di negeri yang belum dimenangi.

Perubahan mood rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira kaum dan agama serta pola politik dijangka mengalami perubahan menjelang PRU akan datang. Senario ini menuntut peranan semua pihak bagi memastikan BN tumbang dalam PRU ini.

Antara peranan yang boleh dimainkan ialah meningkatkan daftar pemilih pengundi baru dan membantu dalam memastikan pengundi luar khususnya di Lembah Klang kembali untuk mengundi pada hari pengundian nanti.


Di samping itu, rakyat perlu didedahkan dengan isu semasa yang berlaku yang mempunyai implikasi langsung ke atas rakyat, samada penyelewengan dana negara dalam isu NFC, teguran audit negara dalam pengurusan kewangan, isu Lynas, SPBA, penyenaraian Felda, penyalahgunaan dana zakat, dan lain-lain.

Insya Allah semua ini dapat dilakukan saya bersama dengan jamaah PAS.

Ustaz Nasrudin:

Kejayaan dan kemenangan adalah suatu yang sangat didambakan, justeru itulah kita berjuang saban waktu tanpa henti.  Kejayaan dan kemenangan tidak mungkin dapat dicapai tanpa usaha gigih dan kerja kuat dari pimpinan dan anggota parti.

PAS sebagai sebuah Gerakan Islam telah mengambil manafaat melalui ruang demokrasi lalu menyertai pilihanraya sejak tahun 1955 untuk menggerakkan kebangkitan rakyat melakukan perubahan secara aman di dalam negara tercinta ini.

Langkah berkesan ke arah memenangi pilihanraya terbahagi kepada 2 kategori utama.


Pertama: Kekuatan dalaman - hubungan erat dengan Allah s.w.t, mengukuhkan ikatan ukhuwah sesama ahli parti dan memiliki kekuatan strategi yang berkesan dan praktikal

Kedua: Kekuatan Luaran: - Sentiasa mempamerkan akhlak yang baik dengan sesiapa pun;
'update' dengan perkembangan semasa supaya mampu menguasai dan menjuarai isu rakyat; serta membina jaringan dan hubungan luar dengan pelbagai pihak yang melibatkan individu, ngo, parti-parti politik dan juga jaringan di peringkat antarabangsa.

Antara apa yang paling penting juga ialah mengurus persepsi namun dalam masa yang sama teguh bersama prinsip perjuangan. Saya suka dengan penegasan yang selalu digunakan oleh al Marhum Tuan Guru Hj. Fadhil Mohd Nor iaitu bersifat futuristik dalam perancangan, kontemporary dalam pendekatan dan fundamental dalam prinsip perjuangan.


Ustaz Nik Zawawi:

Ahli PAS dan saya boleh menyumbangkan tenaga dengan membantu parti untuk mengumpul dana sebanyak mungkin menjelang PRU-13.

Di samping itu, saya dan ahli PAS juga harus membantu parti dengan memperbanyakkan kempen berstrategik dengan turun ke padang dan berdialog dengan sasaran pengundi atas pagar dan pengundi luar yang bekerja di ibukota.

Selain itu, ahli PAS dan saya juga perlu mengeratkan hubungan PAS dengan NGO dan kerajaan negeri agar perjalanan kempen parti dapat digerakkan dengan lebih lancar dan bantuan luar yang tidak diduga.- harakahdaily

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Seloka buat si asan ali


Saya terbaca karya berikut dari blog A mum of 3 Mohd. Kelakar dan kreatif:

Dia dibuai mimpi indah
Mimpi mau menjadi embi

Fulamakk.. !!
Semua tak layak kecuali aku
Aku jer yang layak jadi embi

Tup-tup.....
Oh no... aku hanya bermimpi
Aku hanya seorang EXCO jer...
Apa sudah jadi??
Ini tak boleh jadi..
I want to be an Embi!!
Aha... kalau PAS berpadu dengan UMNO
I got the chance to be Embi, what??

Berkhalwat ler dia dalam gelap dengan UMNO
Demi bangsa Melayu dan demi agama Islam
Kerajaan Perpaduan mahu diwujudkan.
Yaahoo... Peluang untuk jadi Embi terbuka lagi
Ada chance aku!! Ada chance aku!!
Fulamakk.. YAB Datuk Asan Jati.

But wait.... dengar suara tu.
No Kerajaan Perpaduan!! No Kerajaan Perpaduan!!
Jerit akar umbi dan yang bencikan UMNO
Berkahwin dengan UMNO tak sior kami!!
Kami mahu bersama Pakatan Rakyat untuk 'bunuh' UMNO
UMNO mesti tumpor!! UMNO mesti tumpor!!

Frust menongeng si Asan Jati!!
Kecewa... Sakit hati...
Lantas si Asan Jati mula atur strategi
Bagi menjayakan agenda diri
Gunakan JAIS... lancarkan strategi
Islam diperguna sebagai landasan serangan
Gilerr Asan Jati!!

Serbu sana serbu sini
Tak dak runding... tak dak bincang....
Terjah !! Redah!! Sondol!!
Ya Allah... inikah cara pakar motivasi berdakwah??
Membetulkan akidah umat Islam...
yang kononyer sedang parah??
Astaqfirullah...

Dia menjadi lebih Melayu dari Melayu
Don't play... play...
Dia sorang sajalah pencinta Islam sejati
Taatnya pada raja, tak sapa lagi....
Lebih UMNO daripada UMNO jadinyer dia
Asan Jati....Asan Jati...
Kerana tak dapat jadi Embi... sampai jadi begitu sekali??

Setelah terpecat... dia meroyan, dia gilerr babi.
Menyalak ke sana, menyalak ke sini
Aku dipecat kerana, bla .. bla... bla...
Salahkan orang tu, salahkan orang ni
Tapi tidak.... dirinya sendiri.

Riaknya terserlah... angkuhnya menyerlah
Kalau bercakap tak saper lagi lah...
Ciittt!! Mulut jamban!! Mulut neraka!!
Apa yang terhambur keluar busuk-busuk belaka
Eeiyaa.... Busuknya hati si Asan Jati!!

Dek kecewa tak dapat jadi Embi...
Dek terkejut akibat dipecat..
Dek terlucut segala jawatan
Meranalah hati si Asan Jati
Siapalah kini dia....
Huhuhuhu... He's nobody.

Lantas.. tetiba dia tersedar.
Tersedar, kononnyer Pakatan Rakyat itu bahaya besar
Habislah Islam!! Habislah Melayu!! Habislah Raja-raja Melayu!!
Hahahahaha...
Don't worry. Asan Jati is here to save you!!

Kah kah kah kah kah...
Asan Jati... Asan Jati...
Kau ingat orang akan terpedaya dengan propaganda murahan kau tu??
Sori ler pakcik... kami generasi celik IT.
Well informed. We know siapa you.
Parasit tak guna, pelesit durjana
Itulah karektor sebenar, si Asan Ali.

Keliling negeri mencerca orang.
Sambil mencerca, mencari simpati
Harapan dapat raih sokongan
Kesian... dia kini keseorangan
Akar umbi lari, para pemimpin jauhkan diri
Bahaya.... Bahaya...
Asan Jati sudah gila babi
Sudah hilang maruah diri.

Dia sakit hati, dia iri hati
Yang paling dia jaki... Khalid Samad
Kerana tak sokong dia jadi Embi
Yang paling dia benci...
Khalid Ibrahim..... Embi terkini.
Kerana Khalid ler, dia tak dapat jadi Embi

Serangan dia dibalas Khalid
Ditambah pulak dik Husam Musa
Semua sepakat dan sependapat
Dia meroyan sabotaj parti...
Kerana kecewa tak dapat jadi Embi!!!

Dia kata... Eh, mana bukti??
Mana bukti aku meroyan nak jadi Embi??
Kita kata... pigiraaahhh!!
Orang gila takkan mengaku dia gila
Biarkan dia!! 
Usah dilayan orang gila
Usah kita layan meroyannyer

Biarkan... Biarkan...
Ibarat buah busuk... lama kelamaan jatuh sendiri
Gedebub.... tergolek ke bumi. Innalillah....
Jam tu....
Tak siapa akan endahkannya.
Aha... Padan muka!!