Another day, another restriction ahead of the by-elections. This time no outdoor rallies will be allowed in Kedah in a move likely to hurt the Pakatan the most in its attempts to reach out to voters.
On 23 March, police fired tear gas and chemically laced water to disperse a crowd of several thousand attending an Anwar ceramah on an open field in Sungai Petani. On 7 March, a large crowd of 15,000-20,000 attended another Anwar rally in Bukit Selambau.
Police will now only allow indoor ceramah in Kedah. This excerpt from a Bernama report carried in NST:
All political parties are prohibited from holding ceramah or gatherings at public places in Kedah to maintain public order.
Kedah police chief Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said they had received several applications to hold ceramah and gatherings during the campaigning for the Bukit Selambau state by-election on April 7.
“We will not allow such events to be held in public places, but we have no objections if they are held in proper halls or covered areas,” he told reporters at a gotong-royong in conjunction with the Police Day celebration at Taman Ria Jaya here today.
Over in Bukit Gantang, Anwar complains that he was stopped yesterday for the third time:
Alahai, buat ketiga kalinya saya dilarang dengan kepungan polis dari menjejak ke tempat ceramah di Bukit Gantang. Maafkan saya. InshaAllah saya akan kembali satelah penamaan calon kelak.
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SO THIS IS WHAT THE POLICE IS UP TO. NO CEREMAH IN PUBLIC PLACES. THEY SURE AS HELL IS PROTECTING THE INTEREST OF UMNO/BN. DON’T THEY REALISE THAT THEY ARE MAKING THEMSELVES LAUGHUNG STORKS IN THIS REGION. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO GET DOWN AND DO THE BUSINESS THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO DO. LIKE GOING AFTER THE MAT REMPITS, THE SNATCH THIEVES, THE ROBBERIES AND A HOST OF OTHER ILLS THAT BEFELL THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY OF OURS’. MEN IN BLUE, PLEASE DO WHAT YOU ARE PAID TO DO. NOT TO HARASS AND BREAK-UP PEACEFUL CERAMAH ORGANISE BY THE PAKATAN RAKYAT. DO YOUR JOB RIGHTLY AND BE FAIR THEN ONLY THEN WILL THE RAKYAT RESPECT YOU MEN IN BLUE
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only umno owns proper halls which were built by using rakyat’s money.unfortunately, most of the halls were surrounded with lallang. although umno actually is not the owner of those premises, but it seems most of the halls – namely `dewan umno’ – were turned into the party’s premises. what a shameful party! now, the halls should be named `dewan rakyat’ or `dewan orang ramai’ or `dewan masyarakat.’ umno should `malu’ to pas which use people’s contributions from its ceramah to build up markaz (dewan kecil) for the benefit of all races to hold ceramah or gathering, …
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Napolean : Do not distrupt the enemy when he is making a mistake.
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The police should in all fairness also ban themselves from attending any outdoor or indoor public rallies since they often cause mayhem when they start chasing innocent people and water-cannoning them.
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public order? when was there disorders during the rallies until the police barged in with water cannons.
you think we are stupid, Mr Police?
Playing the same role as SPR to ensure UMNO remains in power?
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Dont expect changes.. all undercontrol.
You can voice anything you like..jus treat it as a
pass time of just another day.
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‘All political parties are prohibited from holding ceramah or gatherings at public places in Kedah to maintain public order.’
If this Kedah police chief is unable to handle peaceful audiences at ceremahs, they should not be wearing the uniform. The rights of the rakyats to listen to different views both from the ruling party and the opposition should never be denied…as this is part and parcel of the democratic process.
In all recent events, (many felt) that the culprits who caused trouble were apparently the police themselves. It is a shame, in this country the PDRM paid by taxpayers’ money appears to only serve their political masters faithfully…a real disgrace.
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This outdoor ban will certainly disadvantage PR more than BN. BN’s small ceramahs can fit into indoor halls but how will PR’s ceramah’s do that? There aren’t many halls which can fit in 5000 – 10,000 people.
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Hiya..whenever BN had ceramah,it will be lavish one ..in restaurant. Rakyat will be fully fed..free makan, free drinks..then some souvenir. Funny is..mostly is attended by VIPs & its members only.See the difference…rakyat come in droves to the Ceramah by PR despite no food serve, no ang-pau, no air-cond, no seat & many times even during rain.
Seen one MCA’s dinner ceramah held..it was embarasing. > 100 tables is set for the residents..karoke system blast loudly..with severalMCA member screaming …outside memebers trying to invite passer by….free food, free dinner. I notice only 3 tables occupied out of 100. I heard some resident wanting to join ‘ Free dinner ma?” while another say..we are not FOR SALE.
see..BN’s fondess of BUYing everything & anything.
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BN HAS ALREADY DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE; BUT THEY CONTINUE TO
INCITE AND DISTURB EVENTS; NOW THEY DO NOT ALLOW PUBLIC PLACES TO BE USED FOR ELECTION SPEECHES ETC. SPEECHES DURING ELECTION TIME
IS PART OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. LET THE RAKYAT HEAR WHAT
THE CANDIDATE HAS TO SAY. STOPPING THEM FROM SPEAKING IS VERY
UNDEMOCRATIC.
THIS ACTION WILL FURTHER SEAL BN FATE. THE RAKYAT ARE REALLY
ANGRY WITH THE BN ACTION. BN KNOWS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO
LOSE THE TWO SEATS IN WEST MALAYSIA. SO THEY ARE USING
THE POLICE TO DISTURB THE PEACEFUL FATHERINGS.
THE POLICE SHOULD FOLLOW THE LAW; AND NOT THE DIRECTIVE
FROM THE BN PARTY.
ULTIMATELY PEOPLES RIGHTS SHALL PREVAIL.
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