A large crowd, estimated at between 10,000 and 20,000, turned up to listen to a ceramah in the heart of Permatang Pauh, opposite the Seberang Prai Polytechnic. Among the speakers were Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Guan Eng.
The event also saw the launch of the national PKR youth wing’s election machinery with representatives from each state taking a pledge.
The PKR security personnel put up a much better, more organised performance with friendlier arrangements for the media. Penang PKR deputy chairman Mustapha Kamal Yusoff told me that the party had carried out a re-registration of their security personnel. He said they were still unable to identify the “security personnel” who had attempted to throttle a photographer from a Chinese newspaper at the last ceramah. Anyway, neither the dubious “security personnel” in question nor the Chinese photographer was around (Someone told me she was away in Beijing covering the Olympics!).
One of the speakers on the night (not from PKR) was someone who had earlier in the day been protesting outside the Bar Council forum. After rubbing shoulders with Umno protesters in the morning, this time he was telling Umno “jangan cabar” this and that. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Certainly, the PKR and Pakatan as a whole needs to work out an acceptable solution to the problem of what happens to families when a spouse converts to Islam. They cannot sweep this issue under the carpet and hope it will go away. Otherwise, even if the Pakatan comes to power in Putrajaya, they could be faced with a serious split the moment a case like this hits the headlines.
At the stroke of midnight and as the ceramah drew to a close, a cake was brought out to celebrate Anwar’s birthday.
Blog reader Mohammad Firdaus Christopher was one of those present:
Good morning Anil & fellow Malaysians,
Yes, I was there as well with my father in law and few neighbours & the crowd/ atmosphere was simply awesome. DS Anwar, as usual, with his excellent oratory skills captured the hearts and ears of the crowd once again. In short, after talking to some local folks, will put my $ on DSAI re-capturing the seat with > 25,000 majority
Best Regards & Salam REFORMASI
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He’s a politician by nature. As an underdog trying to move into the top spot, you can’t get anywhere without being populist. As for promises, I look at it this way. I’m not 100% sure he’ll fulfill his promises although I believe there’s no reason why he won’t. But I’m 100% sure if we stay with BN, we’ll have the same corrupt, racist system for the next 50 years. So what do we have to lose?
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Dear Raj Kumar ,
“yesterday’s bar council demo”.
Hope your valued comment helps to cool down the strong emotional currents amongst us.
Politics is not clear cut as black and white. We must not lose sight of the bigger picture which is a new hope and direction for our country.
We have an opportunity now and must make the most out of it lest we may have to wait another 50 years.
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Lets all Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Singhs, Sarawakians, Sabahans etc…join together as MALAYSIANS and help move the country forward.
Now, only PKR can do it. BN is gone.
Make sure every PKR supporters make an effort to help PKR in the Permatang election. Ensure that there is no foul play by our desperate BN goons.
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Let’s put aside our races and religion and accept ourselves as Malaysians and each and every Malaysians is responsible to work hard for the betterment of our Beloved country. A country clean of corruption should be the priority. What is race and religion means to us if our country falls apart. We are all from adam and eve, for some we are from ape or whatever form I myself don’t give a damn. As for religion, what’s the purpose of having so many mosques, temple or churches if most of the time its empty. Don’t politicised religion and races. Lets bring Malaysia to a better and higher level when foreigners ask us and WE proudly says we are MALAYSIANS. Our present PM fails in this and we put our high hopes on you DSAI.
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Vote for AKIM -Hanafi mamat…PAS rules….PKR sellfish only…DAP take advantage from low system.
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