Photos by Ong and others
Here are a few more pics from the streets of KL as the Abolish ISA rally was drawing to a close.
The last two were taken this morning. Notice the FRU trucks at Bukit Jalil and the two teenagers, 16 and 13, in handcuffs.
Whatever your estimate of the turnout yesterday, this was easily the largest anti-ISA rally in Malaysian history. A couple of eye-witnesses told me it was bigger than the Bersih rally – which drew some 50,000 people – so that would put the turnout for yesterday’s rally at around 50,000 to 60,000 perhaps.
How times have changed over the last dozen years especially after reformasi was unleashed. In 1997 (before reformasi), a similar protest, held outside the Kamunting Detention Centre to mark the 10th anniversary of the Operation Lalang crackdown, drew only 200 people. Today, they come out in the thousands as more and more people become aware of how obnoxious the ISA is.
Najib and company are sadly mistaken if they think the people will be content with a “review” of the law. One minister even had the gall to suggest that the ISA acronym be changed to something else – as if that would pacify those who oppose the law. They just don’t get it, do they? Detention without a fair trial in open court is unjust – period. Even if they halve the initial interrogation/incommunicado detention period from 60 days to 30 days, there would still be a lot of potential for abuse, whether physical or mental. Ex-ISA detainees have said that some of the worst abuses occurred during the first few weeks of detention.
This was the result of a poll carried out on this blog in May:
The ISA should be:
- abolished (91%, 1,428 Votes)
- reviewed (7%, 111 Votes)
- left unchanged (2%, 28 Votes)
- not sure (0%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,568
The Sunday Star, the self-proclaimed people’s paper, studiously avoided any mention of the turnout at the pro-ISA rally. That’s not surprising because hardly anyone turned up for that one.
Some of those following the ‘live’ coverage on this blog yesterday accurately predicted how the mainstream media would report the rally in the papers today – the focus being on the chaos created, how businesses were hurt (actually coffee shops and other restaurants that were open did quite well) and the inconvenience to the public. It was all so predictable.
Much of this chaos could have been avoided if the police had facilitated the crowds and acted with restraint. Instead, Malaysia made global headlines for the wrong reasons. But then again, many around the world must have marvelled at the brave Malaysians who had peacefully come out in their thousands to express their revulsion over the ISA.
When will they ever learn. The more they display force and aggression, the more they are alienating themselves from the Rakyat. Now, even those who were on borderline can see how the police have gone out-of-hand. There were no weapons, no violence, no brutality except those carried out by the police.
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Hishamuddin after a mess at the education ministry has been moved to Home affairs. In other countries such ministers would have been sacked but here they get a promotion. Why because its his cousin who is the pm? I scratch yr back and u sratch mine…. They will pay heavily in the next elections esp after I have seen how the police treated the rakyaat on saturday. MY vote and fly is for PR. We the people are watching
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These UMNO goons have not learned anything…just pure arrogance in their nature and hidding behind the ‘Red Guards’. Sad, real sad, their false belief is “Might is Right!”
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I am not going to quibble over those figures pertaining police numbers as:
1. it was not sourced, there is no verifiable link, police statement to ascertain the fact.
2. the numbers if any, are immaterial to the crux of the issue. Did the mob’s numbers , you trundled out, were real numbers or were the figment of other fertile imaginations clutching at straws which given your journalistic approach you didnt deign to verify and published verbatim. As you yourself put it,they were culled from eyewitness accounts which I suspect are partisan. Even I, an eyewitness, didnt force the issue regrading my numbers and instead quoted new reports to point out that their numbers approximated my own.
3. in fact, this numbers game has taken a life of its own, reaching preposterous numbers at times and there is no concrete agreement on even the numbers quoted by partisans from both sides of the divide. The malaysiakini excerpts are proof. in fact your 50k estimate for bersih is topped by Haris Ibrahim’s figures (60K) in his bersih reports. plus haris latest post say 5000 for anti_isa and the pixs paint a true picture more than 60k or 100k words ever can.
kepp to factual reporting, the next time, anil, and try to be non-partisan even if it militates against your biased subjectivity,
Warrior 231
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Anil, Don’t mean to pour cold water, as far as any polls taken other than “its”(Government) own, any form of results will be too complicated for them.
This current “thing” has to be treated as “things” as well.Now, how can a thing understand human needs. IMPOSSIBLE!
Just listen how they talk!! You think they know what number comes before and after 1? Even their thinking concept to lie is not logical and this country still believed they can lead. Biggest joke and Saddest truth indeed.
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Please arrest the person who handcuffed those two minors in the photo above.
And get that KLPC Mohd Sabtu to explain to the public/world audience the gounds and authority he used to justify manhandling, arresting and locking-up Malaysian children in his police station lock-ups.
And has there been any public interviews given or statements issued to the general public by that pointless IGP and his equally clueless big-boss HM? If not, why not? Do they not consider that a part of their key responsibilities as public servants and supposed “leaders”?
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
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