Thursday, May 3, 2012

Rallying point: Bersih from my optical view point

Guys, it's an open secret that I've attended Bersih/Kotor rally, depending on your viewpoint. I have decided to take to the street to voice out my genuine concern, even if that day supposed to be my last day on earth.

My friends asked me, why am I still around.

I have something to do in Klang. Therefore I depart around 11:30am to KL Station.

In KL Station, there is already huge crowds assembling outside the Central Market area.

These are the pictures taken outside KL Station:



As I move on, some of us has Yellow Birds & Green Birds for the 1st time. We were chanting Bersih to the tune of Ole!!!

My priority was to find my college friends, & I've marched along Jalan Pudu till Jalan Tun Perak. The police truck also retreated along Jalan Tun Perak. Since there is no one beside me, I've asked someone to take a photograph of me.(Note, the earphone is my subsitute to my earplug, as a precaution to the rumored ear-attack-device brought by PDRM).


I saw all the famous faces, as well as the strong crowds along the usually busy roads. And I sat on these roads that I thread on, everytime I head back to home.





I've met my friend & friend's-friend, Emay & Shaun.

Since I was behind, I don't really know what is really happening out there. I'm using my memory here, without being influenced by reports from online newsportals. I only know that people are enthusiastically wanting to occupy the historic green field. The word were spreading that we can enter dataran.(So, I thought the police were nice, allowing us to enter dataran).

It feels great to see every Malaysians coming out, regardless of ethnic background. However, there is loud bangs in front. I presumed all the Yellow Birds were burst. I thought wrong. I saw the sprays of water cannon, then the throwing of water bottles & the shot of tear gas & I'm confused. We're stuck. We can't move much. Everyone was forced to retreat along Jalan Raja Laut. I just feel 'betrayed'. 'Everything went well, we did not act violent, why shot several tear gas? Not one?' I said in my heart.

I seek respite in the washroom, & I saw, I swear I saw Ambiga was also a victim of tear gas. Why? My request to snap her picture was declined because the international media will cover the news. Even after getting out from the washroom, the odour of tear gas is suffocating my nose. Cursings were yelled at the police. The men in blue, the protector of public safety, has become a symbol of hatred among peaceful protestors. I too, took down the DBKL banner.

As I rejoined, the crowds has dispersed. I tried contacting my friends, but there is no signal. I avoid twittering & facebooking for the latest information to conserve phone battery. I just know that I'm moving away & away from the city centre, dancing by the tune of 'Party Rock Anthem' before stopping by Grand Seasons Hotel for minor treatment. The staffs were polite enough to decline my monetary gift.

I just keep walking till Titiwangsa STAR LRT Station, going to Masjid Jamek Putra LRT Station to KL Sentral & back to Klang, as requested by my family member. Journey back home were not that simple too. As I pass by Bandaraya Station, I can only see the heavily fortified Dataran Merdeka, as if as the field itself is a covert-military-installation-which-doubled-as-future-secret-nuclear-silo, which is off-limits to civilians like us. Only the arrested has the chances to occupy... the roadside & I saw the convoy of Traffic policemens coming into a junction near Masjid Jamek like a Harley Davidson gangs, supplementing the efforts of the rest of the police force, with an order from above that is, and never will be disobeyed, even with RM1000 bribe. Masjid Jamek is off limits!!! I have to change at Hang Tuah, before making the dreaded stop at KL Sentral Monorail.

Once the trains stop at KL Sentral, the crowd is no longer a concern for me. I just wanna go home. At platform 5, I switched on to Malaysiakini news on Bersih & it's announced that Ambiga has told us to disperse at 2:34pm!? At that time, I was in front of DBKL building & I don't know.

Once in the train, my parents made a call, all the way from Beijing. They told me to quickly come back out of genuine concern. I told them, I'm on KTM bound to Port Klang. Every one shares their 'warclean-time' stories. One mid-aged Malay gentleman vowed 'not to let their sons to enter police force', lest their sons will face public anger. Most of their stories were familiar to my ears, but we were proud that we have delivered a strong message that is not carried on to mainstream papers.

I only read about the reports around late at night.

PS: My wounds & map.






Bersih Map: