As we chronice today's watershed HKR#KL112 rally, Stadium Merdeka is cool and
windy, its football pitch a flag of green serenity that would later disappear,
replaced by a sea of colorfully-dressed Malaysians eager to gather, congregate,
participate and make their voices heard over a host of national issues.
Yes, the Chronicle team managed to sneak in for an early preview. But no, we
weren't able to get a headstart on the other news teams because that was not our
purpose. We wanted to enjoy the 'show' so to speak and immerse ourselves in the
spirit and mood of the crowd.
Moreover, not having access to Wifi didn't help and even now, the broadband
reception is not so stable. So while we will try our best to cover this landmark
event 'live', we may find ourselves shut off due to poor techology, or as some
have warned - "they will jam the signals!" Please bear with us and forgive our
glitches.
'Tukar kerajaan'
Stadium Merdeka is not historic' without reason. It is rather shabby but
despite its obvious wear-and-tear it is clean. Somehow, no other place seems
capable of being able to encapsulate the feeling of overbrimming good cheer all
around the vicinity of this venue today. And despite the care taken by
authorities to let slip the information the stadium has a capacity of only
30,000, it can actually accomodate between 80,000 to 100,000. It is
understandable that Prime Minister Najib razak and his Umno party would want to
play down the number, but those who came will know and distrust the BN
government and their media even more.
Today, between 300,000 to 500,000 Malaysians from all walks of life - young
and old, men and women, boys and girls - wanted to 'enjoy' themselves. They
wanted to show they have a stake in this country - in this globe. They wanted to
show they are aware of the issues at stake in Malaysia. They wanted their
government - whether it is the incumbent BN government or the PR
government-in-waiting - to hear them and do something about their demands and
grouses.
And today, they hit bulls-eye with the sheer strength of their presence. If
Najib and the Umno-BN coalition choose to make light of it, they have only
themselves to blame if they are shown the door in the coming general election.
As we have been saying this is a new Malaysia we are seeing. And this why we
decided to cover the event on the ground.
As I write this, I am seated in the Stadium on a bench shared with dozens of
others, with my laptop really on my lap and the power cord connected to a plug
in a nearby wall. In front of me are a sea of determined-looking faces. They are
fanning themselves and chatting but this is no frivolous day. I asked the guy
sitting across me why he came and he told me "Tukar kerajaan" and showed me a
clenched fist! But with a grinning face and smiling eyes. This crowd is really
out to make a stand - albeit a peaceful and friendly one.
7.30am to 11.30am 'Monster' crowd
builds up
From as early as 7.30am, which was the time Alaa Soleiman, Nawawi Mohamad and
I began our trip to Chinatown nearby to the Stadium, and where Alaa delayed us
all by insisting on guzzling down a third helping of a very good breakfast
buffet, there were already groups of people making their way to the day's
hot-spot.
Make no mistake, a monster crowd is building up and even if it does not hit
the ambitious 1 million target set by the organizers, we should see at least
several hundred thousands of Malaysians stretching their legs and exercising
their vocal chords today. Just like the Bersih 1, 2 and 3, as well as the
anti-Lynas rallies in Kuantan, the #KL112 gathering looks set to be another
eye-opener for Prime Minister Najib Razak's government.
And like it or not, this gathering will be a bellwether on which way the
people will vote come the 13th general election. BN may still scrape through and
cling onto the federal government but the chances are now higher that the
Pakatan Rakyat led by Anwar Ibrahim will win.
Happy faces, waving hands all over
At all 8 dedicated meeting places including Amcorp Mall, Masjid Jamek and
KLCC, the crowds of people were dressed in Bersih yellow, the anti-Lynas green
and many waved the Kelantan flag to show support for the oil-royalty movement.
Smiling and chattering, they made a royal din with their vuvuzelas and horns,
waving banners and cheering each other on. We asked them why they were so happy?
They asked us back, "why? cannot, ah?
Some of them asked if we were from the press and told us to take photos of
them. Police were out in full force but seemed very friendly. Inside the
Stadium, a high ranking officer spoke with the rally organizers and prominent
activist Hishammuddin Rais, who looked very smart in his trademark pony-tail and
a dark coat. They briefed the cops on the day's programme which will begin at 2
and end at 5pm.
Yes, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will be there and so will DAP's Lim Kit
Siang and PAS' Hadi Awang. All three men are bound to stop the show when they
arrive for they represent the hope of a nation fidgeting for a change in
leadership, a change in direction after 55 years of rule by a corruption-riddled
and not competent BN.
So far, Nawawi has reported some unusual incidents at the Pasar Seni meeting
place. He saw a group of Rela officers "throwing their weight around and asking
for identification". He also came across a group of men taking off their shirts,
revealing yellow Bersih tees underneath, and suspects these could be
plainsclothes policemen going undercover to mingle with the crowd. However, as
long as the motive is to protect the people, that's fine. Otherwise, we'll know
soon enough when the police beatings ala Bersih 3.0 begin!
1.30am to 12.30pm Gates to Stadium
open: 'Masuk perlahan-lahan'
At 12.00 noon, the organizers boomed through the loudspeakers they were
opening the gates of the Stadium to the tens of thousands already milling in the
compound and snaking all the way through Jalan Sultan, Pasar Seni, Brickfields
and the national mosque. "Sila masuk perlahan-lahan. Sila masuk perlahan-lahan".
In less than 10 minutes, the stadium was already half-full. And tens of
thousands more are yet to arrive.
Over at Masjid Negara, one of the meeting places enroute to the Stadium, PKR
deputy president Azmin Ali is speaking to the crowd. He is telling them to be
patient but the group of at least 15,000 are eager to get going. They will
surely be disappointed to hear the Stadium is full when they arrive but that may
not stop them. It seems that everyone just wants to go to the Stadium, to get a
chance to get in when others leave.
12.30pm to 2.00pm Negara-ku is sung,
rally begins
The arrival of the various heads of NGOs and Paktan Rakyat chiefs especially
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim drew huge applause from the crowd. Within the
stadium and its carpark are already more than 50,000 people. Tens of thousands
are at other key meeting points, waiting for their turn to start moving to the
final destination.
At 2.00pm the national anthem is sung with gusto by the crowd. PAS vice
president Mahfuz Omar starts the ball rolling with a rousing speech, followed by
DAP's Anthony Loke and Kasthuri Patto. It wouldn't have matter what they said in
their speeches, the crowd was only to happy to lap it up and cheer. Horns and
vuvuzelas continued to fill the background, more often than not drowning out the
voices of the speakers.
2.00pm to 5.00pm Anwar tells crowd time
has come to change government
The crowd begins to chant Reformasi Reformasi Reformasi as they wait for
Anwar to take his turn at the mike. They were not disappointed. A vibrant and
smiling Anwar had the crowd immediately on his side when he told them the time
for change had come. His words were greeted with anti-Umno shouts. In his speech
emailed to the press, Anwar said:
"Today's peaceful gathering in Kuala Lumpur, and around other venues in
the country and abroad, is to show so many of us stand together, with one voice,
a voice of change.
Whether to reform elections, provide free elections, to halt Lynas or to
defend Felda families.
We want a free and fair elections. You have a vote and I have a vote. No
one should steal our votes. We shall work to defend our votes and will not allow
anyone to mock our votes. KL112 says, reform elections now.
Our children are the future, and guaranteeing free education to all Anak
Malaysia is a responsibility, not a means to place debt on the young. KL112
says, free education is a right.
Business cannot outweigh environmental safety, which is why protecting
the safety of the people of Kuantan cannot be an afterthought. KL112 says, No to
Lynas.
Planters and their families are not commodities to be traded as seen in
the forced-through public listing of Felda and the financial consequences these
people are facing today. KL112 says, decide what’s right for the planters not
what is profitable to a small group feeding on the weak.
Today, in Kuala Lumpur’s peaceful assembly and in peaceful assemblies
everywhere else, the message is clear, that government cannot be about ignoring
the voices of the people.
You, who have showed up are key to the struggle."
Crowd size exceeds Bersih 3.0's
250,000
By now it is clear, the total crowd size has exceeded the BERSIH 3.0's
250,000. In the stadium, its vicinity and throughout the 8 meeting points,
seasoned media people and camera crew plus the activists themselves privately
estimate a crowd size of nearly 500,000!
"This is a real eye-opener for Prime Minister Najib Razak. Today, the people
have made it clear what they want and don't want. If Najib and Umno strongmen
like Mahathir Mohamad still refuse to admit their wrongdoings and change their
ways, it is the end for them at GE-13. Frankly speaking - judging from the mood
and size of the crowd - I think it may be too late for Umno-BN to pull
themselves out from their mess,"
PKR vice president Tian Chua told
Malaysia Chronicle.
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=46428:huge-crowd-builds-up-for-
