Eleven people mourning the demise of democracy in Perak were arrested during a vigil in front of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok’s office tonight.
May 192009
May 092009
A phyrric victory for the BN – but at what cost to its credibility?
This is a piece I wrote for Asia Times:
The battle of Malaysia’s ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to regain control of the second-largest state on the Malaysian Peninsula may have come at a heavy price to its long-term credibility and raises questions about new Prime Minister Razak Najib’s emerging brand of leadership.
May 072009
Police moved in on the vigil in Penang – Photo by Romerz
Fourteen people were arrested in Brickfields tonight at a vigil to express solidarity with activist Wong Chin Huat.
Of the 14, seven of them were from the students’ movement Dema and two from the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall youth section. They are now at a car-park at the Brickfields police stations, though their statements have not yet been recorded. The arrests today come on the heels of 14 arrests last night (though that batch were later released).
Over in Penang, USM masters student Ng Eng Kiat was detained after a “Democracy First” vigil in Penang attended by between 50 and a hundred people outside the Dewan Sri Pinang tonight. He was the emcee of the event.
May 072009
Siva’s defenders: Simpang Pulai Adun Chan Ming Kai (left) and Teja Adun Chang Lih Kang were among the Speaker’s most forthright “guardians” in the Assembly today – Photo by Anil Netto
It was a dark day for democracy. If the BN thought that its actions in the Perak State Assembly would legitimise its power grab in Perak, it was sadly mistaken. Instead, it has revealed the naked truth to so many Malaysians about how far it would go to strengthen its grip on power, even if it means undermining the very institutions it should defend.
Aliran’s P Ramakrishnan has issued a statement that, among other things, sharply criticises the refusal of the Dewan’s sergeant-at-arms to carry out Speaker Sivakumar’s orders. He also raises the issue of police conduct in helping Umno to install its Speaker:
May 072009
A relaxed Speaker Sivakumar safe and sound after a tumultuous day – Photo by Anil Netto
Blow to democracy: Police enter the Perak State Assembly this afternoon
I ran into Sivakumar a couple of hours after he was literally dragged out from the Speaker’s chair in the Perak State Assembly by police and other officers. He looked relaxed after what must have been the most difficult day of his life.