This is something I wrote for Asia Times:
An air of nervousness has hung over Malaysia in sight of a potential confrontation between civil society organizers and pro-government opponents. A ”walk for democracy” planned for July 9 by a coalition of civil society groups known as Bersih 2.0 to campaign for clean and fair elections sparked a government crackdown reminiscent of the country’s old authoritarian ways.
The Save Malaysia Committee with the assistance of Australian NGOs staged a protest outside Lynas Corporation’s headquarters in Sydney over the construction of a rare earth refinery in Gebeng near Kuantan.
Bersih 2.0 has agreed to hold its rally in a stadium after an audience with the Agong.
A group of Malaysians staged a protest at the Malaysian representative’s office in Taipei this morning.
1900: After a long day, the 24 PSM activists including two teenagers are to be charged under the Societies Act (involvement in an illegal organisation) and the ISA (possession of subversive documents). They have been released on bail of RM8000 each.
After an afternoon of bad news – six political activists freed only to be re-arrested under emergency era laws – a ray of hope as dusk fell: two teens to be released tonight, a woman freed and the remaining 22 to be remanded only until Monday.
A crowd of about two to three hundred marched from Jalan Kapitan Keling to the Komtar area protesting against the Penang state government.
A Pas ceramah near Kepala Batas last night drew a large crowd even though it was organised at the last minute.
An IAEA panel has concluded that there is no instance of any non-compliance with international radiation safety standards at the Lynas plant under construction in Gebeng near Kuantan.
A Penang High Court judge this morning upheld the seven-day remand order on 30 PSM activists.