CPO: Protesters abused sanctity of Negaraku

Sun2surf | ... He refuted claims that police were disrespectful to the national anthem when they moved in on participants of a candlelight vigil as the group was singing the Negaraku opposite the PJ Civic Centre.

He instead accused the protesters of abusing the sanctity of the Negaraku for making use of it to evade action.

"The members of the group sang the Negaraku about three or four times, each time police told them to disperse at the Jalan Timur field and at each place, they regrouped. They were using it to keep us at bay but we had acted within the law. How can I disrespect the Negaraku?

"I am an officer of the Royal Malaysian Police Force and I will be among the first to give honour to the national anthem. But in the best interest of security and order and to keep it in place, the police are empowered to evaluate the situation and act accordingly," said Khalid.

He explained that he did not hear the anthem being sung when his men moved in to disperse the crowd which had violated the law by taking part in an illegal assembly.... selanjutnya.

see harismibrahim comment here

"This is Malaysia, stupid,"

[.... ] I arrived late after a media function around 10pm I decided not to join the crowd in the singing of Negaraku. I was in fact standing next to the platoon of armed policemen readying for the charge when I heard the commander issue the order to charge and arrest. I called my friend who was in the crowd to tell him to run for his life and to tell the others too. But they continued singing the national anthem and as they were on the last one or two bars of the Negaraku, the platoon moved in, a sight so fearsome that it would not fail to intimidate even the most seasoned of protesters. What followed was sheer madness. Wholly brutal, wholly unnecessary.

A well dressed young Indonesian lady kept screaming at me: "Oh My God, oh my God! I have seen all this on TV but how can this happen in Malaysia?"

This irritated me so I told her, "This is Malaysia, stupid," only to find out later that she's one of the leader's girlfriend.

I waited all night into 2am for those arrested to be released but in vain. Never mind that it was a peaceful gathering and the posed no threat to public security. There were more than four of them, and they met together without a police permit. In law, that's an illegal assembly. They should know they are at risk of being baton charged and arrested. How sad. - Sinchew

Public gatherings are a democratic right, says Zaid

malaysianinsider | Former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today criticized the harsh measures taken by the police last night in cracking down on the Bersih rally in Petaling Jaya.

"A public gathering for the people to show their emotions and desires is one of the natural aspects in a democracy," he added.

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim believes that the police must realize that the public have a right to express their opinions and peaceful assemblies must be tolerated like in any other democracies.

By denying this right, he said Malaysia was reverting to the manners of its colonial masters.

Police arrested more than 20 people and allegedly manhandled MP Tony Pua and other other community leaders.

More than 250 people had gathered to commemorate the anniversary of the Bersih rally.

Zaid argued that the police should not have forcefully dispersed the crowd as a similar rally was held in Ipoh the night before and the police had allowed the event to take place.

He said the police and the higher authorities should not be mistaken that more force will bring an end to future gatherings.... selanjutnya.

sempoi punya kira .....
300 BERSIH < FRU
160,000 BERSIH > FRU
Aku rasa lagi ganas Mesyuarat Bahagian UMNO dari Perhimpunan BERSIH. Nape? Tak caya?

Lying Chief Police Officer

tonyphua | ....Well, would you believe your own eyes or this lying chief police officer? Check it out with your own eyes at the video by Malaysiakini here:

Can you trust your police force when even the chiefs are lying to Malaysians? We have already cut short all our speeches, advised all who gathered there to disperse after the anthem was sung, and the Police couldn't even wait for 2-3 more lines of the song be sung.... selanjutnya.

Syed Hamid defends police action at Bersih rally in PJ

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar today defended police action at the illegal gathering in Petaling Jaya yesterday where 24 people, including three opposition leaders, were arrested.

He said the police were only doing their job in ensuring that public order was maintained.
“In that situation, the police had to act as it is their resposibility to enforce the law and ensure public order is maintained,” he told reporters at the parliament lobby.... selanjutnya.

Sifirnya mudah
300 Bersih < FRU
160,000 Bersih > Bersih

Adun Kampung Tunku di tumbuk polis

Skeadilan | .... Peristiwa ini berlaku sewaktu satu perhimpunan aman sempena ulangtahun pertama Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) diadakan di Dewan Sivik Petaling Jaya semalam.

“Tumbukan yang kedua menyebabkan bibir mulut disebelah kanan saya tercedera dan lebam.

“Selain itu, terdapat beberapa calar dan luka di pipi kanan saya. Saya meminta supaya pemeriksaan perubatan dijalankan”, kata beliau dalam sidang media di lobi parlimen sebentar tadi.

Weng San juga memberitahu tentang kehilangan harta benda termasuk sebuah helmet berwarna kelabu yang bernilai RM50 dan dua pasang cermin mata berharga RM300.

“Saya dapat mengecam wajah, rupa anggota polis berpakaian biasa tersebut dan meminta satu sesi pengecaman dijalankan”, tambah beliau.

Tambah Weng San lagi, beliau amat berdukacita diatas apa yang berlaku kerana beliau hanya mohon penjelasan dari pihak polis dan telah perkenalkan dirinya sebagai wakil rakyat kawasan kampung Tunku kepada polis tersebu... selanjutnya.

Tindakan menyurai bukan sewaktu lagu Negaraku?

[...] Walaupun dibuktikan melalui rakaman video, ketua polis Selangor tetap menyatakan bahawa polis tidak bertindak menyuraikan majlis memasang lilin malam tadi ketika para pesertanya sedang menyanyikan lagu Negaraku.

"Itu adalah dakwaan mereka (peserta)," kata Khalid kepada pemberita di ibupejabat polis daerah Petaling Jaya kira-kira tengah malam tadi.

Apabila diberitahu mengenai rakaman video berhubung tindakan polis itu, Khalid menjawab: "Saya menafikannya".... selanjutnya.

Berikut pula kenyataan yang di perolehi dari jurugambar yang di tangkap .. di dalam berita Harakah

Dalam himpunan anjuran Bersih itu, 24 pserta termasuk ahli Parlimen dan Adun ditahan ketika mereka mahu bersurai dan menyanyikan lagu Negaraku.

Shukri yang kini bertugas sebagai jurukamera Malaysiakini kesal dengan penahanan beliau itu sedangkan ketika itu beliau sedang merakam gambar 'water cannon'

"Saya sedang merakam gambar trak meriam air apabila seorang anggota polis mengarahkan saya berhenti berbuat demikian, Dia mengarahkan saya menyerahkan kamera dan pita rakaman. Saya berpusing dan beredar dari situ apabila saya ditahan," kata Shukri sebaik dibebaskan. - Harakah

Lu pikir la sendiri .... assalamualaikum ...

Jangan main api lilin

Mungkin ini alasan kenapa Polis dan Kerajaan cukup tak gemar orang pasang lilin ramai ramai.

Orang dulu kata, jangan bakar lidi dalam rumah, nanti ular masuk.
Orang sekarang kata, jangan pasang lilin luar rumah, nanti kena rasuk.
Orang tua kata, jangan pasang lilin dalam rumah, nanti orang kata tak bayar bill.

Candle light vigil turn horror

Virgil in AMCORP mall

Merahhitam | [...] Tiba-tiba kami sedar suasana telah sunyi.Kedai di Amcorp Mall hampir ditutup dan kami berjalan ke kereta untuk pulang ke Keramat.Dalam perjalanan, kami terserempak dengan lori merah "water cannon" yang sering digunakan untuk menyembur peserta protest.

Tanpa disangka, sejam kemudian, saya mendapat tahu, seramai 20 orang ditahan di Dewan Civic. Saya tak sangka, begitu jahat Menteri Dalam Negeri menggunakan polis untuk menafikan hak mereka untuk berkumpul....Geram sangat rasanya....Ya Allah, segeralah hancurkan makhluk yang zalim itu....... selanjutnya.

Baca laporan dari pray-for-malaysia
dan here-n-there

Bersih: Utusan melaporkan...kah kah kah

Menurut Khalid, perhimpunan tersebut berjaya disuraikan kira-kira pukul 12.30 pagi ini dengan aman tanpa melibatkan kekerasan.

‘‘Polis bertindak mengikut etika dan profesionalisme dalam mencegah perhimpunan itu,’’ jelasnya.... selanjutnya.

Wakakak ... aku ambik dari anilnetto ...

Satu komen

Pandemonium broke out. I started to make a gradual retreat. I noticed scuffles between plainclothes police officers, believed to be Special Branch people, and some of the supporters. One of my friends who was shooting away with his camcorder was manhandled and hauled away. This is a sad day. We were on the verge of dispersing and going home, and yet the police had to charge into us. Barbaric? Let the world tell us.

Satu lagi komen .....

My wife and I were there tonight, the FRU charged at us as the Negara Ku was being sung. They were waving their batons threateningly and shouting for us to disperse. I think they were itching to start beating people up.

Satu lagi komen ...

I was there at the Civic Centre garden, we were singing the Negara Ku and the FRU charged at us, banging their shields and shouting angrily at us and ordering us to disperse. It was barbaric and uncalled for. We will not be intimidated by their brute force and will continue our fight for a better tomorrow.

Satu lagi komen ....

One 53-year-old woman spoke at a press conference saying that while she was singing the Negara Ku, she was dragged from the back and fell down, hitting her head. She needed four stitches. Her 24-year-old son was detained.

Kesimpulan ...
Aku merayu agar yang bodoh bodoh diluar sana tu percaya la cerita Utusan ..... wakakakak

'Negaraku' in group must have permit?

[...] 2354: Eye-witness and blog reader Paradiz recalls what happened:

My wife and I were there tonight, the FRU charged at us as the Negara Ku was being sung. They were waving their batons threateningly and shouting for us to disperse. I think they were itching to start beating people up.

We had no choice but to run although some did not. After scattering, we went back into the park and were shouted at by the FRU to disperse. That was when we saw some plainclothes cops chasing a few of the people in yellow Bersih and black and red “Free RPK” T-shirts.... selanjutnya.

Hmmm .... camane nak buat kenduri arwah nanti.

Priest are believed among those arrested

Anilnetto reports,
2316 : About a hundred people have gathered at the PJ police headquarters. Apparently, police have now started blocking roads leading to the station. Among those arrested is believed to be Catholic priest Fr Paulino of the Divine Mercy Church in Shah Alam.... selanjutnya.

Kita tengok apa cerita.....wakaakakaka

Member of Parliament Tony Pua being thrown into a police truck

Police dispersed a crowd of about 200 people gathered at a field opposite the Amcorp Mall here on Sunday night to mark the first anniversary of the Bersih rally, arresting about 20 people as well.

The rally was to commemorate the march last November that called for a free and fair general election.

Among those arrested were PJ Utara Member of Parliament Tony Pua, Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San and a videographer from the Malaysiakini news portal.

They were detained by plainclothes policemen in front of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) building about 2km from the Amcorp Mall, where the crowd was heading towards to hold a candlelight vigil.... selanjutnya.

Bersih vs Mesyuarat UMNO Bahagian Seremban. Mana lebih bahaya?

Bersih: 12 di tahan

Suarakeadilan | Sekurang-kurangnya 12 orang ditahan termasuk Ahli Parlimen PJ Utara, Tony Pua ditahan sewaktu himpunan Bersih.

Mereka semua dibawa ke IPD PJ State kira-kira jam 10 malam tadi.

Kesemua mereka ditahan ketika menyanyikan lagu negaraku.

liputan terperinci : Anilnetto
Sehingga ke jam 11.10 malam

2301 : Malaysiakini reports that their videographer Shukri Mohamad has also been arrested. I hope someone has video footage of the police charge. Malaysiakini adds in its report:

Eyewitnesses said that Pua was physically manhandled and thrown into a waiting Black Maria. The police were also seen chasing the crowd into an Indian restaurant located opposite the Civic Centre.

Those arrested have been taken to the PJ police station. A small group of people have gathered there in solidarity. A team of police anti-riot squad is also on standby.
read the rest ..... CLICK

Protes besar-besaran 12 Julai

Satu panggilan lagi untuk pejuang pejuang bersih ..... baca lah sini

Ribuan orang akan digerakkan untuk menyertai protes membantah kenaikan besar harga minyak di Menara Berkembar Kuala Lumpur pada jam 3 petang 12 Julai.

Penganjur Gabungan Anti-Inflasi (Protes) berharap dapat menghimpun 100,000 orang untuk mendesak kerajaan supaya mengurangkan harga minyak ke paras asalnya, sebelum ini.

"Kami percaya, dengan kenaikan drastik harga minyak, kami akan mendapat sokongan rakyat...

"Ini tidak sama dengan perhimpunan anjuran Bersih. Ia akan lebih besar. Impaknya juga akan lebih besar," kata penyelaras Protes, Dr Hatta Ramli dalam sidang akhbar hari ini.

Hatta menjelaskan bahawa Menara Berkembar KLCC dipilih sebagai tempat protes tersebut kerana ia merupakan ibupejabat syarikat minyak negara, Petronas.

Menurutnya, Malaysia adalah sebuah negara pengeluar minyak dan keuntungan yang dicatatkan oleh Petronas sepetutnya digunakan untuk meringan beban rakyat, akibat kenaikan harga minyak - malaysiakini

dan ini berita perhimpunan secara runcit rakyat Malaysia...

Kira-kira 100 orang lagi berhimpun di situ sambil menyaksikan protes tersebut diadakan.

Peserta protes tersebut berarak kira-kira 200 meter sebagai tanda kemarahan mereka dengan kenaikan 41 peratus harga petrol yang berkuatkuasa tengah malam tadi.

Protes tersebut yang diketuai oleh Ahli Parlimen Cheras, Tan Kok Wai diawasi oleh kira-kria 15 anggota polis, termasuk enam anggota Unit Simpanan Persekutuan (FRU). - malaysiakini

Petition for Royal Commission on Electoral Reform (RCER)

bersih.or

Ke bawah DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong,

We the undersigned Malaysians, in support of the suggestion by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH), appeal to Your Majesty to establish a Royal Commission on Electoral Reform (RCER) promptly after the 12th General Election on 8 March 2008.

Urgency of Electoral Reforms

We have no confidence in the cleanness, freeness, fairness and transparency of the electoral system and process, in all four aspects of polling, contestation, electoral system and electoral administration.

* The probity of polling is marred by instances of contamination of electoral roll, fraudulent registrations, massive transfer of voters, impersonation (phantom voters), multiple voting and non-transparent postal voting for security personnel.
* No level playing fields are observed in contestation with short campaign period, selective restrictions on campaigning, media control, unchecked over-spending, and breach of administrative neutrality.
* Marred by blatant mal-apportionment and gerrymandering, the electoral system has produced such deplorable seat-vote disproportionality whereby BN can win 91% of seats with merely 64% of votes. In two years’ time, the EC can redraw constituency boundaries again.
* The Election Commission has acted in an extremely partisan and unprofessional manner in conducting the elections. Election laws give little room for judicial recourse on election irregularities and do not provide for the rights of observers.

To date, the EC has failed to adequately meet BERSIH’s five basic demands for electoral reform:

(a) a thorough cleanup of the electoral roll;

(b) employment of indelible ink to prevent multiple voting;

(c) abolition of postal voting for military and police voters;

(d) free and fair access to media;

(e) a campaign period of 21 days.

Royal Power to Appoint RCER

We appeal to Your Majesty to exercise your royal discretionary power under the Commissions of Enquiry Act 1950 (Revised 1973) to appoint and authorize a Royal Commission on Electoral Reform (RCER) whose terms of reference should cover:

(a) matters of cleanness, freeness and fairness in the entire electoral process;

(b) fact-finding and investigation into any allegations of election fraud, irregularities and misconduct in the 12th General Elections.

BERSIH: 22/02/2008 Terengganu

fotowarung.bazuki
President of Malaysia’s opposition Parti Islam se-Malaysia Hadi Awang is seen on a big screen during a free election campaign rally in Kuala Terengganu, in the opposition stronghold state of Terengganu February 22, 2008. Malaysia will go to the polls on March 8. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad (MALAYSIA)


Malaysians listen during a free election campaign rally in Kuala Terengganu, in the northeast state of Terengganu February 22, 2008. Malaysia will go to the polls on March 8. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad (MALAYSIA)

Malaysian election reform activists threaten mass rally

KUALA TERENGGANU, Malaysia (AFP) - Malaysian activists have accused electoral authorities of dirty tricks ahead of March 8 polls and are threatening to hold a mass rally in Kuala Lumpur in protest.

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) which last November gathered some 30,000 people in the capital to demand reforms, slammed last-minute changes to electoral rules ahead of nomination day Sunday.

They said that opposition candidates, particularly in northern states where Friday and Saturday are holidays, could be disqualified by a rule announced Thursday that they must pay stamp duty on their applications to contest.

"How are opposition candidates in states like Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu supposed to get the stamps especially when Friday and Saturday is the weekend here?" BERSIH organiser Mohammad Sabu told a crowd of 5,000 supporters.

If opposition candidates are disqualified over the issue, "we will get half a million people in KL for several days," he told a rally in northeastern Terengganu state late Friday.

Government offices selling revenue stamps in the northern states will open at 8am on Sunday, considered a working day here, leaving candidates little time before nominations must be submitted between 9am and 10am Sunday.

"I see this as a gimmick to make things difficult for opposition candidates," said Mustaffa Ali, state election chief for the Islamic opposition party PAS.

Mustaffa also criticised the Election Commission for providing exceptions on the use of indelible ink on voters' fingers, refusing demands to abolish postal votes which Bersih says are manipulated, and not cleaning up electoral rolls.

Since winning independence half a century ago, Malaysia has been ruled by a coalition of race-based parties under the Barisan Nasional (BN) banner, led by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's United Malays National Organisation.

Opposition parties are hoping to deny the BN a two-thirds majority in parliament at this year's polls, with the government under fire over rising prices of food and fuel, and rising racial tension in the multi-ethnic country.

Arahan Bayar Duti Setem Cubaan Batal Pencalonan

buletinonline.net

Kuala Terengganu, 22 Feb - BERSIH malam ini mendakwa tindakan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) yang menghendaki calon mengemukakan borang penamaan berserta Akuan Berkanun yang dimatikan dan dibayar duti setemnya sebagai satu cubaan untuk membatalkan pencalonan.

Pengerusi BERSIH yang juga Naib Presiden PAS Mohamad Sabu berkata pihaknya menerima surat daripada SPR mengenai perkara itu pada pukul 12 tengah hari Khamis.

"Arahan pada saat-saat akhir ini menyebabkan calon kita di negeri-negeri yang cuti hujung minggu pada Jumaat dan Sabtu seperti Kedah, Kelantan dan Terengganu tidak dapat membayar duti setem kerana pejabat pos tutup.

"Bayangkan jika mereka yang perlu mengisi borang itu dari kawasan pedalaman di negeri-negeri yang cuti hujung minggu pada Jumaat dan Sabtu," katanya kepada pemberita di sini malam ini.

Mohamad berkata SPR bukan sebuah jawatankuasa ad-hoc yang tidak mengetahui proses perjalanan pilihan raya kerana badan itu telah wujud sebelum merdeka dan arif mengenai amalan demokrasi itu.

Beliau berkata tindakan SPR itu bertentangan dengan peraturan perjalanan pilihan raya kerana di borang akuan bersumpah, duti setem adalah dikecualikan.