[post trip Update]
We got out of the area after the Pakatan Rakyat Aduns finished their press conference in the DAP office…. & addressed a crowd of more than 300 awaiting infront….
YB Lim Kit Siang also made an appearance…. after he had posted this on his blog =]
All in all… some reflections & observations:
- Despite the tension & emotion… & even provocations… Pakatan Rakyat supporters maintained their cool throughout … *SALUTE*
- Not only were the FRU armed with water canons & tear gas… they had live bullets loaded in rifles… damn!
- If you look at the pix closely…. what racial tensions??? the rakyat of all races stood together.
- When the PR aduns came out of the DAP office in the end…. we could see the pride on their faces…. with huge stress undertone…. the battle is NOT over & they know it…. do you? – The courts are against them & the Sultan has yet to grant them audience.
- To be honest… delCapo counted over 2,000 crowd in the end… media & plainclothes cops included…. yes, it was quite a show of support…. but NO! By no means anywhere near what I expected…… it should have been a 10,000 crowd for such an important day, Perak…. sori to say.
- Of course…. THAT Tree….. the now legendary tree that has captured everyone’s imagination & already inspired recitals of poems….. delCapo thank my comrades-in-arms for snapping most of the pix….
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[scroll to the bottom for complete set of pix… ]
Original post below:
1051am
Pix uploaded….
Crowd now dispersed…. PDRM & FRU still around… guarding…
feeling hungry…..
[breaktime]…. may head back to KL soon….. pls continue to read Anil’s blog if i dun get connected again soon….
HIDUP RAKYAT!!!! PEOPLE POWER!!!!
1041am
Shouts of “HIDUP HIDUP…. HIDUP RAKYAT”
Nizar gone upstairs of DAP office… probably press conference
10.36am
Commotion at the DAP office downstairs…..
PKR Youth leadership spotted…
Now applause…. *phew*….
10.18am
Dewan seating begun with a round of prayers…. surrounded by FRU & Police…
“the WORLD IS WATCHING”
They are having the Dewan assembly sitting under a tree! They are meeting right next to my contact’s car. It’s all very formal and they are addressing the Speaker as Yang DiPertua etc.
Crowd of hundreds still around….
[comment from a pakcik: “i’m glad those thugs didn’t succeed in creating violence…. apa jadi, budak budak ini?”
10.13am
word is… The speaker has started the dewan seating in the compound of the State Secretariat building….
Crowd told to disperse… & now moving away from the area….
FRU formed a line in full gear right in front
10.05am
Crowd still here… no one is going anywhere…..
Aduns are seen in the compound area… Nizar in a car….
anticipating an announcement…
9.52am
Report from the ground….
A bunch of UMNO Youth shouted abuse & got physical when blocking the Adun team before….
Word is Sivakumar has entered but the rest of the Aduns are awaiting outside….
9.50am
Anil reports that the Speaker (only) has been called to enter the building….
I can hear slight applause…. only…
9.47am.
Crowd only clearing the area in front of the FRU truck & police circle…staying around to watch what’s next…
[comment from a local lady : this is sick sick sick…. police blocking taxpayers & their elected reps… ]
9.45am
FRU counting down…..
Most of the 2000+ crowd dispersing…. some are staying… tense…
9.43am
Some black suits came back… looks like lawyers, not Aduns
942am
Crowd jeered at couple of BN guys… could be Aduns.
FRU officer on top of truck making announcement…. ordering crowd to disperse
ALERT!
9.37am
Crowd deserts coffee shop…..
Nizar & team of black suits arrived on scene….. blocked.
Saw them leaving….
Commotion in the crowd… applause followed by shouts of quarrels…. pray for peace people
930am
Crowd shouting “HIDUP RAKYAT!! HIDUP RAKYAT!!” anticipating the walk of Aduns…
a little verbal exchange after a hout of “kuarang aja” heard….
Atmosphere is a little tense…. hope everyone maintain peace…. ignore the trouble makers, if any
917am
Word is there’s a group walking towards the area soon…. suspect is the Pakatan Rakyat aduns…. will find out.
9.03am
Anil reports his contact is at the high court where the other main action of today is unfolding
9.00am
FRU truck blocking one of the main entrances to the Dewan Building area
8.49am
An FRU truck just left the scene…. not sure to get more troops or is there a crowd elsewhere….
[comment: WHERE IS RAKYAT PERAK???]
AnilNetto.com is also blogging live…. easier to comment there if u got more info around Ipoh area.
8.45am
Crowd building up fast around us….. Rakyat Perak Dah Sampai!!!!
Gather at Coffee shop bawah DAP office directly across from the Dewan Building
Still more media & PDRM than Rakyat….
Totol (incl. everyone)…. 1,000 in the vicinity…. many turned back at roadblocks.
Comment for M: [Madam, the stench is BADDDD!!]
8.15am
Place is crawling with Media people….
more than 150 visible PDRM personnel from various units on scene…. NO vehicle traffic allowed through.
SBotting in coffee shop…. easy to recognise our ababg abang SBs=]
Comment from an observer “Ramai polis daripada orang ni…”
The rakyat has not arrived…. COMMON PERAK!!!
Dr Lo Lo & team just left… attempts to enter the building compound.
7.45am….
Sunrise….
thx to the friendly people of Ipoh & their brilliant directions… we arrived next to the State secretariat building…. coffee shop below DAP office.
Roadblocks all around for roads leading to the area….
FRU trucks in front of building…
2nd round breakfast with MP Dr Lo Lo….
Pix taken…. will upload whenever we can..
6.25am… Ipoh, breakfast…. 3 Barisan Rakyat “night owls” in town..
4.30am…. KL… impromptu & like minded…. an urge to head north
- Manhandling of an elected rep!! dammit
- THE TREE
I am so proud to be Perakian. It reminds me of King Charles 1 who invaded the English Parliament in 1642.
***[Charles 1] asked the Speaker, William Lenthall, where the MPs had fled, and Lenthall famously replied, “May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here.”*** (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_I_of_England)
Sivakumar would go down in history like William Lenthall as a great defender of Parliament.
I’m touch with the Perakian. Let give our moral support to them and the PR aduns. Hope democracy will prevail. A snap election in Perak should be the right solution. People Power to decide who should form the Perak Govt.
Why is it so hard for the BN people just let the Perakian decided who they want.BN think that they will lose yes so afraid and they will lose badly,no confident at all so how can the Perakian put the trust on them.This is the time where you will see the real picture of the Malaysian.Fear nothing now and go damn the BN down to buried down 6 feet.The end is near for Najis BE END
Never have I been so proud to have been born in Ipoh, Perak. There are obviously good men and women in the silver state who dare to stand up and be counted. I vow to come back and visit Ipoh more often. And not just for the delicious ethnic food but for the history that is being created by courageous Malaysians right now.
Great work on your reporting – any picture of that historic meeting place? Or the tree?
Have told Anil this: obviously he doesn’t agree or can’t see the point, which is this: the events show an insurrection, the police as an enforcement agent. There’s seizure of state property and rebellion against elected representatives. Call these events by the true name: insurrection.
teringatkan lalu iwan dan amelina….”Memori Daun Pisang…” dangdut tuuu
well this tree is gonna be…the historic and monumental witness to the state of democracy in malaysia in fact the world….in full witness of the PEOPLE, for the PEOPLE and by the PEOPLE
My prayers go to all who uphold democracy . Lord God please bless and keep them safe from any harm .
I am “humbled” by what has been going on in Ipoh! Hats off to all those who are “brave” enough to stand up for thier rights & fight injustice.
This will be another Mile-stone in the history of Malaysia where the Racist UMNO & thier licenced thugs (the FRU & PDRM) tried to suppress Democracy once again & failed!
To HRH the Sultan of Perak: HRH’s subjects are being “trampled” on once again. Won’t HRH support them please?
Thanks Delcapo, you’re the man. Wonderful pics, and updates. Drive safe on ur way back.
Cheers
Hello kawan kalau nak buat kerja janga buat setengah masak
“From the unreal to real,
From darkness to light,
………………….”
Good show! May the legal, rightful MB triumph!
A Tree Knelt In Praise
I know that I shall never see
A poem that bows quite like our tree
A tree who like us loved to pray
In adoration every day
A tree who humbly knelt in praise
To God and never chose to raise
Itself above the other trees
Instead remained as if on knees
A tree who gave our scholars shade
And never asked that it be paid
A tree whose needles never hurt
But gently fell upon the dirt
A tree whose worth cannot be told
Or ever lent or bought with gold
A tree who showed us all its height
With God by bowing with delight
It taught us all to clearly see
A Garden lies beneath a tree
And then it showed us with a sigh
That trees, like us, must also die
In an age of folly, play and mirth
A tree has died with brow on earth
– Hamza Yusuf / March 2005
Wow, so much pictures huh. How come my face wasn’t in there?
You huh, never took my photos one. What lah brother.
BTW, why dark dark photos only, no flashlight huh. Cannot see clear clear one.
No wonder I can not see my face there.
Hey brother, good lah you take photos some more. Hey I have another good tree, here, near only, you want huh, can make dewan you know. Oklah, if don’t want to use as dewan you can use that three to claim land there to make a temple. You know. Good one.
oh my surin at last u made it. Where is you dog?