I Would Love Being A Commissar

Once in 1941 from Operation Barbarossa, the Russians were starring at the blink of defeat with Nazi Germany's blitzkrieg tactics hitting them hard. Adolf Hitler turned against his one-time ally Stalin and like Napoleon was hoping to run over the Eastern front. Hitler tried to fight in two fronts and on the east end, it failed because like the 1812 invasion, the cold weather in Russia had sapped their morale, depleted their supplies and resulted in the number of casualties. Background aside, the Russians had no other choice but had to put a hard stop on the line of retreating and retaking back their territories occupied by Germany.

It is a very hard thing to do for Stalin but to issue the infamous order #227, called the "Not One Step Back" (Ni Shagu Nazad) order at end of July 1942. Basically, the main idea states that you are not allowed to fallback or retreat unless there is permission to do so. Failure to do so means you are branded a traitor and will be shot by a political officer called the commissar. In the battlefield, there will be 1 to 3 penal batallions (comprising of soldiers with disciplinary problems) for each front. The penal batallions form the first line of attack. At the back of each front would be the blocking detachment comprising of commissars. Turn back you will be shot.

Both measures were cited in the preamble of the order as having been successfully used by the Germans during their winter retreat.

If you have watched documentaries or watched the Jude Law / Joseph Fiennes movie, Enemy at The Gates, it surely would make sense and the idea.

From the start way before the official announcement of Bersih 3.0, I have already began to guess how people from both sides (those who agree and disagree) who react to this and what are the possible titles that the mainstream media would likely use to villify Bersih for what they want to do. And of course, if you recall previously as in June 2011, Najib media's advisers, led by TV3 CEO Ahmad Farid Ridzuan have been advising a bash-them-till-you're-dead campaign against the "fair and clean agenda", utilized by RTM, Utusan. Bernama, The Star and even their Media Prima-owned channels. The number arrested only 9 July 2011, 1700 approximate for a non-violent offence is somewhat an outrageous thing that maybe Najib realized that he was misadvised by those who were hellbent on putting minorities into prisons.

If anyone has studied Boolean algebra or familiar with the basic if-else coding blocks in programming, you would clearly understand that even the government claims to have addressed 7/8 issues it still counts as a fail condition. e.g (if demand >= 8 then (do success scenario) else sayFail(bersih)). One of the demands there got shot down, the minimum 21 days campaign period is somewhat tied to the demand for free and fair media access. One logical reason of not giving them 21 days is indirectly, it gives voters more time for second thoughts of voting the same party over and over again.

What is very humourous about this matter of Bersih 3.0's announcement is the reaction more from those who don't really agree. True, it's okay to let them talk but I find very humorous at times. For example:

Wan Ahmad Omar: They should be patient... they say they are smart but they are close-minded... what they are doing is rushed, hasty and troublesome to people, The EC has not even come out with any statement, we will study the proposal and come out with an official reply later.

Bung Mokhtar: It's the opposition’s tactic is to attack the government from the streets

Problem is they are too slow. Some things can be done in the space of few days. Why want to drag? Then you got Ibrahim Ali saying that all of the Bersih committee  should be put into Sedition Act; Ahmad Maslan saying that it's always opposition's fault this and that. All the time the other side is blamed while they fault is on themselves. Wait till one Friday where Jakim-issued sermons are read in mosques where they could be say trash material about Bersih is sin, etc..The list of excuses can go on and on including the excuse of damaging buildings and money, whereas event like that can be a firesale if you take it in a positive way.

There are maybe a handful of tweets or arguments I observed that don't really give the proper logic to back a person's disagreement to Bersih. Some are personal-oriented attacks in contrast to arguments of fighting a cause. Mostly these arguments are from those people who are still willing to be enslaved by the neo-feudal mindset who keeps believing the superstition, mumbo-jumbo things or they are yet to be enlightened. 

Here you are, you have the opportunity to proof to yourself and others that you have the guts to translate your cause into action. After all, every religion encourages its people who practices its faith to move forward in time. Why want to dwell back longer? 

I can see those kind of people thinking like a Provisional IRA member where they want a zero opposition while if they lose one bit, they scream capitulation and start scoring own goals. I have written this in my previous posting entitled The Fear of Capitulation. It obvious isn't it? If these measures are implemented, then the number of seats that Barisan in particular as of now will be chipped off by another 30 to 40 percent and they could be screaming "hilang kuasa" like a person in dementia.

In metaphor to what I'm talking, they represent people instead of walking forward, they walk backwards. 

The "Not One Step Backwards" Stamp

If this is still Russia in World War II, these people and apologists (para pengampu dan pembodek) would have been lined up in the front and made to move at the German firing range. If they refuse to do so but to move back, they would have been lined up and shot by the blocking detachment. 

If there is such scenario above, I love to be a commissar and even would volunteer to do the shooting and execution. Bang bang bang. Butter-up boys bewarned.

Recollections of Bersih Vigil 2008

Note: Video by Malaysiakini

There were two to three friends of mine that were among the two dozen people arrested on the night of 9 November 2008, to commemorate the first anniversary of the Bersih Rally. Many of those caught were wearing RPK shirts or the anti-ISA shirts. I don't even know why cops take those shirts as anti-establishment, in my opinion considered them like rebels. I still to this day don't even know why people who carry no weapons are treated as hooligans in the street like thieves and scum a like.

Watching the video made me recalling that night and the mad encounters that happened that night. I managed to remember most of the things that happened there, with aid of a few grainy pictures that I took that night as well. I was grumbling over how innocent people who do no harm get caught for nothing and accused for nothing.

A few days ago, I remembered the phrase "militant" that John Malott called Perkasa that got Ibrahim Ali hopping like mad in front of the American embassy. The word is an adjective for something in a very "aggressive" nature. That night...it was a militant scenario that we encountered.

Bedol: Violating His Own Tenets

December 9 was considered as a masterstroke day for Abdullah Badawi. To some, it is considered as witch-hunting day. The Bolehland government has become nothing than other the Church, hearken in the medieval times of Europe, hunting down on unbelievers and innocents whom they just suspected of witchcraft.

Taking a queue from Jeff, the connection to above is like: 31 people arrested from HINDRAF rally, 9 lawyers and activists arrested from Sunday's Lawyer's Walk for Freedom, 17 people from the BERSIH rally. All were charged personally by the Attorney-General himself.

You can cut the crap of whatever you want to say, Bedol.

In less than two months following the three protests, the police on behalf of him had committed a cardinal sin three times of bullying the people who are out there to voice out their opinions if they cannot speak personally.

Now let's look back at the tenets of his own Civilization Islam (Islam Hadhari):

• Faith and piety in Allah
• Just and trustworthy government
• Freedom and independence to the people
• Mastery of knowledge
• Balanced and comprehensive economic development
• Good quality of life for all
• Protection of the rights of minority groups and women
• Cultural and moral integrity
• Protection of the environment
• A strong defence policy

In the three rallies, the so called Grand Imam of Islam Hadhari had violated the keymost principle of his tenet: Freedom and Independence to the People. The reaction to the HINDRAF rally shows that he had violated another principle: Protection of the rights of minority groups and women.

Another violation of tenets committed by the Imam himself is about the Balanced and Comprehensive Economic Development. The NEP is still affecting everyone badly including the Malays themselves and the wealth is not given to all but to the select few. Mismanagement by the government over the Petronas subsidy resulted in a potential oil price hike to $2.35 per liter coming next year.

I am aware today that BERSIH wants to submit a memo stop the debating that allows extension of the EC Chairman to 66. True. But the police instead wanted a restraining order (from Malaysiakini) against the people who are thinking right about not getting the election rigged to the favor of the Blue Wave. When I was a kid, I often assume that BN is good and Opposition is bad. But now, I had a different opinion and realized how people are being mislead by their ownership of the mainstream media, I think that for one time, the Blue Wave Nazi is just like another Galactic Empire.

The police didn't even use common sense in seeking a restraining order. They think that the BERSIH guys are those who are violent akin to the gangs arrested in Operation Kantas Kenyalang in Sarawak. Come on, those guys don't carry weapons. Why do you want to do that if you want to submit a memo and that's it?

Supposed if there is another rally in the next month or so. The turnover is at 200 thousand, 4-5 times more than usual. And there are only 4000 policemen there, how are they going to arrest everyone if they simply decide that whoever walks to there is liable for an arrest. The prison cells around the country cannot hold that much even for those who feel that they are doing the right thing. Yes, Hadi was saying, Malaysia is not a democratic state, but a police state.

I take this quote from Thomas Paine in his essay, Common Sense:

Ye that tell us of harmony and reconciliation, can ye restore to us the time that is past? Can ye give to prostitution its former innocence? Neither can ye reconcile Britain and America. The last cord now is broken, the people of England are presenting addresses against us. There are injuries which nature cannot forgive; she would cease to be nature if she did. As well can the lover forgive the ravisher of his mistress, as the continent forgive the murders of Britain. The Almighty hath implanted in us these inextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes. They are the guardians of his image in our hearts. They distinguish us from the herd of common animals. The social compact would dissolve, and justice be extirpated the earth, of have only a casual existence were we callous to the touches of affection. The robber and the murderer, would often escape unpunished, did not the injuries which our tempers sustain, provoke us into justice.

There are people stupid enough to follow the misleads and lies. To call a professional body as a coward, a repetitive word used by the Village Idiot shows that he learns totally nothing instead of doing some fact finding thing. Having some guy like this as the de facto Law Minister isn't right. In fact he isn't right.

There is also a possibility that there are "extremist eunuchs" in the government who might feed lies to the top brass like Abdullah and Musa. And this goes to their press. Hence, it is a trick to get support to build the use of the ISA against anybody. Look, the mainstream media editorials especially Kali's NST is at the affirmative for the use of ISA!

The thing is Bedol is dismantling his own government mechanism. He is not what people seems of him. They used to call him Mr. Clean, Mr. Nice, but it is the other way round. There are people trying to cling on to power even though they are judged to be wrong and unworthy. They can try arresting 200 thousand people who are doing the right thing, but the problem will happened when it comes to the election. The village idiot suggested that the BAR become a political party...heh. Bedol says people need him longer...CRAP! EC Man Rashid admitted that the BN regime is needed...that's going to be the turning point of BN losing much in next election.

"I want everyone to remember why they *need* us!" - Sutler, V for Vendetta

Yes, people are now angered with how the police and the government stamping on the freedom of expression. They are also angered that the quality of life is going downwards because of the impending oil increases. They earn 5 times lower than Singaporeans do. Don't forget that there are people who loved the nation so much that they are willing to spill the beans that represents the hegemonic and the bad side of Malaysia to the worldwide press.

The bottom line? DO NOT *FUCK* WITH US. If the BN politicians lose in the next election, don't come blaming at us, Bedol for not picking them. It's simply because of the many mistakes that you and idiots alike have committed.

You think we bloggers are lying? Go ahead, I dare you to say that we are lying. Bloggers do this, bloggers do that.... Then repeat that again. These guys are one step backwards!

Additional accounts from Sunday's walk:

1. Bernard: Mama Gobloking and Zawi, I'm Fine
2. Michelle: International Human Rights Day, Malaysian Style

There Is No Underground Group!

Watch this first before continuing:

Look carefully at the two following pictures. These are the heads of groups starting the ruckus.

The BAR Council is slamming the police over being a bully and starting the ruckus. As of last night around 10 p.m, there was a road block right in front of the junction at Jalan Pahang. That explained why there was a massive traffic jam at that road. Just because of the directive of one superior that sparks the problem.

Later on, as in Malaysiakini the police went to arrest the heads of the BERSIH rally.

I can surmise that those guys above intended to start the trouble in the name of LAW.

The BAR Council is no underground group. It is an organization comprised of lawyers, people with intellect and great knowledge of the Federal Constitution and Law. The actions of the police and DBKL had directly contradicting the Third Principle of RukunNegara: Keluhuran Pelembagaan - meaning, that the Constitution is directly above the law.

The mainstream media articles had some inconsistencies, namely about the turnover of people. It is 100, not 50 as many perceived. Bedol's remark shows that there's is not much of truth of what he says. It is said that the BAR will be having a meeting tomorrow to sue the DBKL for the mess. So this means that the man above on behalf of DBKL, is causing DBKL to be forking out money in compensation. Be prepared to pay for the damages.

And now, Bedol has reared his real head rather than the false promises he made back in 2003. Here's one very kind of "intimidating feel" title news from the NST with the sort of threat of using the ISA. Here's the way he said "Saya Pantang Dicabar" as at last month's UMNO assembly.

"DO NOT *FUCK* WITH US" - Tyler Durden, Fight Club

Let us remind ourselves that we hold the balls of politicians. We decide who we want in to run the nation by elections. They have forgotten that the people they are after here in the rally are sometimes people that they have to depend on. We are people who cook their meals, we are people who haul their trashes, we are people who would connect their phone calls, and sometimes we can be people who watch over them while they are asleep. The government's hand is too heavy on the people. When that happens, people will turn against them not because they WANT but they are FORCED to do so.

All in the end, the government will have to fork out millions of ringgit again as compensation for the mess that they created by themselves...

Previous posts:

1. 5 Lawyers, 3 Activists Arrested
2. Now This is A Police State!

They Will Try Again

I remembered once the title post was one of the taglines used in Terminator 2. In the film's context, it was referring to Skynet trying one more time to rig the game between humans and machines by sending another Terminator back to assassinate young John Connor.

Let's picture if Abdullah Badawi's government is akin to Skynet, knowing that they are losing public support, they will try anything to stay in power, from rigging elections, planting moles into certain departments, doing this and that, and all sorts of unimaginable things much to the chagrin of the country-loving citizens.

I am wondering whether if the people are misled by the statement issued from the national palace by saying that the King regretted of the rally. Some people who could see through the veil like Raja Petra is convinced that this was an attempt by palace people, acting as eyes of the Government attempting to create another impression of rally failure by having that statement out by some high ranking castle men inside there.

Let's examine NST's article. The article was published at 1.45 p.m yesterday. How about Malaysiakini? It was published at 1.34 p.m. Within 12.15 p.m. to 2.45 p.m, the Malays would take a longer time off to perform their Friday prayers. So, within that time, the King must have probably gone to the National Mosque to perform Friday prayers with some of His citizens.

Just who is this Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja thing? A housekeeper?

Raja Petra knows the palace protocol more than any normal citizen do. The truth is:

1. BERSIH has notified the King in advance that they want to hand the memo.
2. The King asks in reply who are the six representatives that will send the memo.
3. And just to make sure that it's not just six, 40000 came along. This gives the clear meaning to the King that the memo is written by the 40000 people as well. In addition, it gives a clear signal that the people are serious and would like to have an audience with His Majesty.

According to the castle rules, only the Keeper of the Ruler Seals can make an announcement. If you recall in Hari Raya, it's only him and no one else that makes the announcement. Now, do you see something suspicious about that Datuk Pengelola person sending a message out? Do you think that it is somewhat coincide with the ACA circumventing the IGP's standing orders? The bottom line right now is that the government is trying from another angle to say that they do not need to have further reforms to the electoral system. They are trying to say that the King has turned down the petition. But are those words directly from the King himself. We all would want to hear his words first before deciding whether it's true or not.

The fear right now is that people may be misled by what the statement is all about. So, it will take a hard effort to inform the people that they need to understand a certain set of royal protocols. By understanding that, at least, people will notice that there is somewhat an inconsistency in that statement.

My friend once admitted that he never reads The Star because of some things being blacked out. Sure, the Star is an MCA mouthpiece. In the past few weeks, anything related to MCA has to be said out in the paper. They had to stay under the UMNO imposed rules. If they keep saying this, then the MCA is not doing the job they are entrusted to do: protect the interest of the Chinese. And it ends with just kotow to the master. Like an under dog....yuck.

Is the Mainstream Media Sulking?

I am wondering whether following the anger and mob reaction by the government and some quarters of over the Bersih rally last Saturday, the spin-doctors have instructed the mainstream media under the control of the BN-component parties to write the post about the so-called another Bersih rally at the Batu Buruk.

Well, for those who fight for press freedom and those who believe that the country is in turmoil would say that Bersih has accomplished its Saturday objective. But those in the Bolehland ruling elite are cursing under their breaths over their latest defeat against the people.

So childish and sulking over the defeat that they, the spin-doctors have instructed the newspapers to show this articles in the papers.

NST: No Show at Batu Buruk
The Star: Planned Assembly Fails to Materialize

I supposed that ZAM was embarrassed over the fact that the international community was shocked to hear his remarks over the live Al-Jazeera interview following Bersih rally. Still being humiliated, he and the 4th floor boys decided to mislead the people again with the news article above. But, the question is, were they mislead by others and boasted their thing by having their underlings to write that in the paper? I guess it's a taste of their own medicine for trying to mislead the public over the Bersih rally matter.

A check on the Bersih site has no indication that there was an assembly at Batu Buruk. A check at Anwar Ibrahim's blog reviews that there was no agenda at Batu Buruk, but at Mecca.

All in the end, according to Malaysiakini is that the Malaysian Human Rights commission decided to launch a public inquiry against the incident in September.

The bottom line? The spin-doctors of the AAB administration are sulking over the defeat at the Rally. I supposed that they lost badly instead of expecting a win as what the Son-In-Law wanted. When the PM said, "Saya pantang dicabar!" last Friday, all he got was "Rakyat Pantang Dicabar!" on Saturday.

Not One Step Backwards!

In late July 1942, Joseph Stalin had seen enough of Russia losing land to the German invaders who had launched the blitzkrieg operation called Barbarossa to push the army deeper into Russia. The number one factor behind the advancement of the Germans was due to the retreat and defeatist attitude of the Russian soldiers. Finally on 28 July, he signed the secret order #227. The order was famously known as the "Not One Step Backwards" order. All soldiers who are part of the Stalingrad defense noticed a truncated version of the order signed by Stalin:

It’s time to stop the retreat. Not a single step back! This shall be our slogan from now on.

We need to protect every strongpoint, every meter of Soviet soil stubbornly, till the last droplet of blood, grab every piece of our soil and defend it as long as it is possible. Our Motherland is going through hard times. We have to stop, and then throw back and destroy the enemy, whatever it might cost us. The Germans are not as strong as the panic-mongers say. They are stretching their strength to the limit. To withstand their blow now means to ensure victory in the future.

All those who retreat without order from above, are traitors of the Motherland and will exterminated on sight. To fulfill this order means to defend our country, to save our Motherland, to destroy and overcome the hated enemy.

This is the call of our Motherland!

The order calls for the inclusion of a penal battalion that largely forms of criminals who are serving sentences in prison that being drafted into the military during the war OR those who had judged to have disobeyed military orders. The order is brutal : if you are seen by the immediate commanding officer (commissar) running backwards, you will be shot on the spot. If they managed to advance and survive the barrage after a certain period, there will be mark called ATONED in BLOOD stamped in their military records.

I'm not trying to refer to the Russian history and compare it with Saturday's rally. That will be a talk for someday soon. But the interesting of the title phrase is that there are some ministers of the Bolehland are showing a half-past six and one step backwards attitude. What I mean is that they still have the thinking of the past, those in the 70s or so. We are now in the new millennium whereby there are new things coming up, new technologies that can be used for good use. Unfortunately, there are some people who has the mindset of the past which can be a bad thing if those past principles are used in administering Malaysia.

I can tell you that the newspapers, mainstream media articles by certain minsters do exhibit the attitude being one-step backwards. It's just two days after the November 10 Yellow Wave Rally that is deemed illegal by the government. And now there are many Cabinet Ministers including Abdullah Badawi are criticizing for the rally as being involving the royals in it. I got word from an unknown source that the memorandum was copied 8 times and given to the other rulers of the Malay Rulers council.

Malaysiakini says that the response was pretty weak and unconvincing. Clearly, the ministers are running out of excuses to say about the rally. Seems that they are wavering as they feared that the public, although only 50000 turned against them, demanding a clear resolution and answer from their questions. But they chose to ignore it, thinking it is a farce. But then the challenge has been laid out to them. Whether they like it or not, they will have to answer or risk the King's displeasure, soon.

When I read the observer's view of the Rally in these past few days, I came to realize that what was reported at Al-Jazeera is indeed a non-partisan and accurate account of the truth. But our Dis-Information Minister, the Mamak of Merbok chose to criticize Al-Jazeera as if like being Chuck Austen and accused them of misleading the international community although it was certified true by many witness accounts. However, it is the local community that got mislead by your directive to the mainstream media. You even try to issue an official warning to Al-Jazeera.... for being correct. The interview was broadcast once. The second segment was censored on his orders, that's what Tony told us at the dinner in Bangsar. ZAM's been on the warpath with bloggers. He doesn't even know a single thing about blogging. So...we can say he's one step backwards of the people.

After some time of silence, de facto Law Minister Nazri Aziz, El Balachi started to make noise as to gain publicity. Calling people as short circuit. I remembered BAR president Ambriga Sreenevasan saying that if people rally, it means that there's something is wrong. The cops who sided with the crooked ones are the ones responsible in making the ruckus. If the Law Minister receives criticism and much correction from the other law experts who have better knowledge than him, it means that he isn't fit to run the show of law. You can also say that Nazri circumvented or Nazri is one-step-backwards or whatever.

I got appalled by certain quarters at the past week's UMNO assembly particularly when a young energetic woman by the name of Noraini Ahmad made a repeated statement of the Wee saga and the bloggers. I wonder whether if we, new generation people who tend to know more of information technology and better awareness. Then what about Badaruddin who criticized Karpal? Again, he made another mistake of the Airasia stewardess. Nobody now seems to be bothered of the meticulous dressing but they do wear proper clothing as long as it is for work, for play, for functions, but not because of the religious issue thing. Do you find it outrageous to wear a long dress that covers body parts even though common sense tells you to wear loose and t-shirts if we are to go for physical exercises?

Well, I'll leave it to certain women like Marina and Nuraina (thanks for the past) to handle the women side of the problem.

The bottom line is that these people in those issues that I've highlighted (ministers and politicians) are classic examples of people who have the half-past six mindset and they seem to be taking one-step backwards. Well, the thing is that these people are fitted into our very own penal batallion. If there is combat scenario like in Stalingrad, and these people adopt that kind of mindset and retreat backwords, that means that they can be shot on sight by commissars.

Previous Readings:

1. Rally Aftermath
2. The Yellow Revolution Part II
3. The Yellow Revolution Part I
4. I'll Play Taffer at You!
5. Long on Brutality, Short on Foresight
6. Big Mistake, Kiddo!

The Yellow Revolution Part II

I wasn't sure of going down to town for a rally once I got a call that the appointment with a friend got cancelled. At noon, the skies around the city look dark, and I knew it's going to rain heavy. I also knew that the police are trying to stop cars coming to town from various directions so I decided not to drive my car yesterday. I thought of wearing my yellow stripe shirt but I decided against it because of the police paranoia that seems to stop anyone that wears yellow.

At the main road in Jalan Pahang, there are a number of skittles on the side of the road, meaning that the police was waiting to pounce on cars coming from the east coast. After a meal, I took a bus to Chow Kit and I started walking from that point all the way to Central Market.



I had a walk all the way from this starting point, passing through Maju Junction and then Sogo. I noticed that there were policemen lining up at the main entrance of the complex. They anticipated that this would be one of the four rally points for them in event that the Merdeka Square would be sealed off by the police.


I kept walking until I passed Coliseum and at the end of the road, the road got sealed off. If you look at the background, the FRUs and many police trucks were there as to bring the people that they arrested into the truck back to the police stations. I tried crossing to Petaling Street from the Masjid Jamek LRT station.


An FRU red truck was already in deployment with later that some people of the BERSIH coalition attempting to break through the lines. From the small lane at Burger King, a big group of PAS Youth people emerged from there. There were lawyers at the background as well. They would play an observer role, ready to help those who might be arrested by the police.


There, I met Tony and Ancient Mariner. At the mosque, the PAS Bersih guys are getting ready to be motivated by some figurehead, in preparation for a march out against the police. Later we were joined by Haris and Eric (I Am Malaysian).

The rain was quite heavy and another round of thunder and lightning was expected. If there is raining during the march, it means that the police would be cooling down.

According to Confucianism, the King is symbolized as an avatar of God on earth. And the signs of thunder above serves the warning against the police. Mencius, who lived B.C. 372-289, and devoted himself to the task of spreading and consolidating the Confucian teachings, made no attempt to lead back the Chinese people towards their early beliefs in a personal God and in a spiritual world beyond the ken of mortals. He observes in a general way that "those who obey God are saved, while those who rebel against Him perish. Those came are loyal to the country and the king, and in that Mencius context means they can be saved, while whoever attempts to kill or torture can be punished (perished). Coincidence?

Mencius said, "He who uses force as a pretense of Humaneness is the de-facto strongman among the princes. But such a strongman must have a large state in order to be effective. The man who uses his virtue to practice Humaneness is the true king. To be a real king you don't need an especially large territory. T'ang did it with only seventy li and King Wen did it with only one hundred li. When you use your power to force people into submission, they will never submit with their hearts; it is only because they don't have enough strength to resist. When people submit to virtue, they are happy from the bottom of their hearts, and they submit sincerely, the way the seventy disciples submitted to Confucius." (2A3, tr. Muller)

We were at the Bar council office. Rather than waiting for rain to die down, we dashed to Central Market via the back lane. We met Liz for a moment before going for a drink.

This was while we were waiting for Anu (Galadriel)



We got word from Tony that the entourage was leaving earlier than expected. So Anu came on time and we went back to the Bar Council office. Two roles of FRU were in standby. We could not get a closer view of what was happening in front. I had to be ready in case things go violent. With an umbrella in hand, I had to play taking care of the sick man thing and Eric had to play the sick man. :)


Rather than getting stuck in the blockade, we took another route, the path across Petaling Street along the river bank.


So we walked all the way through the palace, and we took some shots along the way. I ended up at the divider going to Mid Valley. There were Special Branch people on top of the high ground, so we didn't take any photos of them.


The king's representative came out and everyone shouted Hail to the King (Daulat Tuanku). Then there some speech by PAS head Abdul Hadi Awang, following by the lead representative Anwar Ibrahim. When Anwar showed up, the FRU stepped aside to let him move to the gate. Coming through the way I came with Eric, Wan Azizah showed up, and the words Reformasi were ringing out loud among the PKR supporters. No sooner than a few minutes we started moving back, we knew that memorandum has been handed and the organizers called for peaceful dispersion. It finished sooner than expected, not even before 4.30 p.m.


I've seen no less than 3 helicopters circling around the city. The lowest position the chopper went was as low as the Lee Rubber Building at Jalan Tun Perak.


While on the way, we told some of them to go as the memo has been handed over. We met Nat and Polytikus. We wanted to meet Rocky at Central Market but we finally found out that he was at the National Mosque. Then we got word from Shah that the meeting point will be at BSC center.

We were deliberating the turnover showing up, and Anu hit the right estimation of 50000. I thought was 70000. But somehow it's about 25 to 10 times more than the number of UMNO members at the general assembly. Malaysiakini said that the turnover was close to 50000. And it was said that BERSIH had hoodwinked the police of location.


Here's an interesting note: Stephen and Rocky were the only ones at the empty Merdeka Square!

But then, the fracas was only done by certain cells of the police as there is a splinter cell wars that divides the police. The Special Branch are the ones that will sit above the fence. Some who are helping people out peacefully are the ones who support the CCID department while the others picked the crooked side. Credit to them for helping us out.

While the Mamak of Merbok is in active denial mode over the Al-Jazeera, you can be sure that he is lying out because he has no balls to acknowledge the truth. The whole blogger lot is likely to write the criticism of the Mamak idiot. He can shove the mainstream media and his statements back to his throat.


Coming later: Comparing Russian Revolution with this and Dinner after Rally

Previous posting: Part 1
Next: Rally Aftermath
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The Yellow Revolution Part I

The Bersih Rally was concluded successfully with the memorandum handing over to the King at around 4,15 p.m, earlier than expected. However it was not without several incidents. Among notable incidents were:

1. 245 people were arrested, 23 were released as of 7.30 p.m, as confirmed by Azmi Sharom. Later, all were released after recording statements.
2. There was raining twice, just at noon and around 2.15 p.m.
3. Confirmed that the total turnover is around 50000, as what Anu (Galadriel) had expected.
4. Roadblock from routes to town, with complete roadblock at PJ (Armada Hotel).
5. There were rumors that the King had called on the military to protect the people who is in the rally. The rumors were deemed false as it was a deliberate intention of a person intending to start confusion among the supporters.

According to Malaysiakini, some journalists, including an Al-Jazeera journalist were attacked by the riot police for failure to disperse. According to Tony, the Al-Jazeera journalist was blinded by the tear gas attacked. Footage of the video from Al-Jazeera stopped after that point.

Some pictures of the clashing with police at the rally at Jalan Tun Perak (pics by Al-Jazeera):

Further Reading:

1. Rain, chemicals and tear gas at Masjid Jamek
2. Paint It Yellow
3. Memorandum to the King
4. Malaysian Petitioners Defy Police
5. RPK: Scenes of 10 November 2007

And you're saying?

The Al-Jazeera news article was by far the complete, non-partisan view of the rally. But then, the main stream media channel like TV3, RTM2 and etc were showing news that were totally contrast to what was seen live on location. So you can say that what the main stream media is saying is a lie and intends to mislead the people.

Bernama has misled the people thinking that only 4000 came, which is the actual number of police personal deployed throughout the city. In actual fact, it is at 50000.

We all knew that the Mamak of Merbok is likely to say something in response to today's rally and he did say something in response to the Al-Jazeera journalist being attacked by tear gas. This was recorded on Al-Jazeera but the idiot seems to dismiss the thing as a farce.

As for that man, he can shove the mainstream media back to his throat, asshole. It seems that people are not believing as what the government intends them to be. It will be sometime before the truth of the wrongdoing by the BN hits out the fan to the people. At the UMNO assembly, he claimed that not many people would show up but instead it's half-true with 50000 turned up. So, was he who told the mainstream that only 4000 showed up? How pathetic!

Someone asked where is Abdullah Badawi when today happened? He just disappeared. Period.
So, it means that he has NO BALLS to face the people in addressing this situation. Remember what he said before, "Work not for me, but work with me?" Well, this is against his principal. Where has Najib gone where this thing happened? Back in Pekan. So, the only cabinet minister that speaks up for today's rally was none other than the Mamak of Merbok. What about Nazri? He has remained silent since his last interview with the NST.

So, in summary:

1. The police is intimidating everyone of not coming for the show.
2. The government is afraid of such change happening soon.
3. Bernama and the mainstream media is misleading the people outside Kuala Lumpur with its account contrasting to the true account. This means that the trust in the media might wane soon enough...
4. We found out that the police force is divided. The approval of performing the security watch, deployment, dispersement paperwork and etc is done by the CCID, Commercial Crime Department. There is a splinter cell war between CCID and CID. Special Branch is caught in the middle. So, they are now siding with CCID, which seems to be right on just ensuring proper order of the show rather than go gung-ho and brutal as order by the other cell.
5. The government has scored an own goal!

Continue reading Part II of the account: