CAVEAT: This Post Contains Stronger Language Than Usual. Discretion Is Still The Better Part Of Valour.
Today is D-Day or Bersih2 Day! It is also a day of absolute madness from the authorities who are trying everything to stop the rally.
Orders have gone out to operators of public transport including stage bus operators and the LRT (Light Rail Transit) to stop passengers from going into K.l city center.
This, to me, must be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. It will surely anger even the fence-sitters who would now decide to vote out the Barisan government come the next general election that many believe may be called soon though one is not due till 2013. That is, unless the government declares emergency rule because of perceived threats
To bar citizens from moving freely in their own country is a no-no. How are people going to work if they are not allowed into K.L.city center? Forcing them to take taxis into town or by intra-city buses is not only expensive in the case of taxis but also inconvenient for some in the case of intra-city buses.
Some people still need to go to work on Saturday. If they are unable to get to work this will surely affect business, and this surely gives the lie to the authorities' claim that they are not in favour of the Bersih2 rally because it will adversely affect business.
To add insult to injury, the authorities have also obtained court orders making it an offence for 91 named persons from entering K.L city. The list includes Ambiga Sreneevasan , the chairperson of Bersih2, leaders form PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) including Anwar Ibrahim, leaders from PAS and DAP and also leaders from Perkasa (a right wing Malay NGO) and leaders from UMNO Youth.
This is a wonderful piece or madness. What it effectively means is that it is alright for foreigners including many immigrant workers, legal and illegal ones, to converge on the city center for the weekend but it is not legal for its own citizens to get into K.L itself!
Malaysia is not only the laughing stock of the world, it is KAPUT! (finished!).
I have never uttered this before in this blog but what the heck! Like what popular blogger Patrick Theo is fond of saying in his own blog, I say NIAMAH!!!
The government is not really doing anything to help itself. For us especially in Kuantan, with this Lynas palaver going on, I'm expecting a barrage of criticism.
ReplyDeleteDuncan In Kuantan
Yes, the Lynas Project in Kuantan is actually an Australian reject. At least the Australian government knows what is not good. But the Malaysian government talks a lot about Rakyat DiUtamakan (People First) but acts otherwise because the connected stands to gain. In K.L now 4pm 9th July, the news is that practically all the opposition party leaders and Chairwoman of Bersh2 have been arrested. And despite all police obstacles more than 50k participants turned up at Pudu area alone.
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