Zunar’s book launch gets underway – even as the cartoonist is in detention.
2035: Special guest Nizar Jamaluddin has just arrived.
2030: “First time author not present at his own book launch!” tweets Malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran.
2020: About 70 people plus media personnel are now at SCAH for the book launch.
2000: People are arriving for the launch of Zunar’s ‘Cartoon-o-phobia’ book at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Special guest Nizar Jamaluddin is expected to turn up.
Paula leading the crowd with a freedom song
Riot police arrived as the event was winding down
Shining the light for justice and freedom in the land
All eyes will now be on the vigils in Petaling Jaya and Ipoh tomorrow.
2358: The rumour goes out among those outside that B K Ong has been arrested. But Chin Tong confirms over the phone that B K Ong is safe and sound with him inside the station. The small crowd of about 20 outside the police station are now allowed to enter the premises.
2321: Chin Tong sends me a text message:
She’s actually arrested. But probably (to be) released soon.
2258: Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong has been allowed into the police station. He tells me over the phone he understands that she has not been formally arrested but they are questioning her at the moment.
2154: Four or five activists and friends, along with several journalists, are now outside the police station. They have not been allowed to enter the compound.
2133: Singer-guitarist Paula Khoo was detained by police as the Abolish ISA vigil in Penang drew to a close after 8.30 pm, just about 30 minutes after it had begun. Ironically, Paula, who was the emcee for the night, was detained minutes after leading the crowd in a rendition of “Sing a song of freedom”.
As the event was winding down, police including about a dozen light strike force personnel arrived. An officer using a loud hailer gave the crowd ten minutes to disperse as the riot police stood in a row behind him. The crowd gradually dispersed, but unknown to many of them, Paula was quietly led to a police van and taken to the Patani Road police station.
Read his press statement here.
An incredulous Australian friend sent me an email this afternoon:
“Anwar’s plight is still a topic on the news here. Arrested by hooded and armed police it seems. I wonder if those that are behind these tricks know what it all looks like from a distance? That he has been taken away for DNA testing has also been reported.”
Gobind Singh Deo in the video above says Anwar is in good spirits and hopes that he will be released by the end of the day. The news of Anwar’s arrest has flashed across the world. It is one of the main headlines on BBC: “Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim arrested“. The Lingam videotape scandal has been completely forgotten.
Earlier this afternoon, Anwar was arrested and taken into a police Mitsubishi Pajero where he was seen with his face covered with a cloth and flanked by two policemen in balaclavas, reports the NST.
He was brought to the city contingent police headquarters. The Malaysian Insider reports that, soon after his arrest this afternoon, more pandemonium erupted in Parliament when Azmin Ali challenged the government to reveal who issued the order for Anwar’s arrest.
“What is Syed Hamid Albar, the Home Minister’s, stand? Who gave the order? Is it the IGP,” he spat out. Continue reading »
Almost all (97%) of you picked Anwar as the more convincing of the two debaters last night (see also: Anwar gets bloggers’ vote) – but today he is arrested – again.
Here we go again – it’s like a re-run…no, a re-make… of a bad movie, complete with the balaclava-clad special squad. You just don’t want to sit through such a sordid saga again. Once in a life-time is enough, thank you very much.
Anwar was detained on his way back from the ACA office by a team of police officers just before 1.00pm – an hour before a 2.00pm deadline for him to report to the police station.
Nurul Izzah writes in her blog:
Dad was arrested by the cops whilst on his way to the IPK to give his statement. The cops gave till 2pm for dad to report but still arrested him before the deadline. Dad was on his way back home to have lunch in Bukit Segambut, and then head to the IPK but the cops blocked off the road and arrested him like a criminal. And the cops who arrested him were Special Squad cops with balaclavas!!! Is that necessary!!!
I hope and pray for our nation today. I ask all Malaysians to be calm but strong in this event. I truly do believe our nation’s future rests on what happens in the next weeks.
Please please do not give the authorities any reason to crack down on us. Let us do everything by the book and do what’s right.
And most of all, please pray.
Izzah
Minutes before his arrest, pandemonium broke out in Parliament when Khairy asked for Anwar’s DNA sample to be given to the police (see Harakah report below).
His family and many other Malaysians are already deeply concerned about how he will be treated in custody. Abdullah Badawi and his administration will be held accountable for this.