LIVE: Candlelight vigil in Seremban with RPK

Updates by anilnetto.com with live reporting from Rakyat@Work, now at the Dataran Seremban Park:

2139: “Come again, people, same time, same place” is the message that goes out as the vigil draws to a close. What a day… Good night and God bless Malaysia!

2137: RPK thanks the crowd for their support. “Now I am going back to rest, cos I’m a bit tired. Thank you for coming and rest well.” The crowd responds with similar words.

2124: Y L Chong leads the crowd in singing “We are the World”.

2122: The crowd chants, “No, no, ISA! We want change! No, no, ISA!”

2114: RPK joins the crowd in singing “Blowing in the Wind”.

2110: RPK has been addressing the crowd, says Rakyat@Work. Speaking on behalf of the other ISA detainees, RPK says that the remaining detainees had actually asked him to send a message to the rakyat to ask us to support them in their ordeal. Under the ISA, the first thing they take away is your hope, explains RPK. That’s why the ISA is so detrimental. Even the Hindraf detainees, who have been there for only 11 months so far, are saying that that the world doesn’t care whether they live or die. “We can only depend on ourselves,” they lament.

RPK adds that if they have committed any crime, the authorities should put them on trial in court and let them know what they have done. The detainees don’t mind facing jail sentences if they are found guilty. But to put them under ISA without solid evidence is ridiculous. If there is evidence, they should be sent to court.

RPK’s whole speech basically asks us to think about the ISA detainees. The detainees are asking us to give them hope and to set them free. “Think of those who are still under ISA; we must give them hope.”

In the background, cries of “Hidup Petra!” ring out in the night air. A poem is recited in RPK’s honour.

2108: Meanwhile, blogger Antares shares his thoughts with us:

I have been floating like a balloon since an SMS arrived this morning at 10,00am informing me RPK would be released by 4.00pm. At 3.00pm, I sat by the river, listening to the wind and it told me to have faith in Justice Komathy’s core of decency and professionalism. Double happiness on 7 November 2008!

2052: Raykat@Work is busy chatting with folks from Malacca. The crowd sings Lennon’s “Imagine”.  RPK arrives!

2049: The crowd swells to 150 people as more people arrive. They are eagerly awaiting RPK’s arrival.

2030: People are looking forward to RPK’s arrival. They expect him to be late after what has been an extraordinary day in the Klang Valley.

2020: The candelight vigil in Seremban gets underway. About 60 people have gathered there now, this time there are more Malays, perhaps some of them are Pas members, says Rakyat@Work, who has been extremely busy “at work” today.