Police cancel permits for Johor ceramahs, Azmin slams 'scared' BN

As expected, the Umno-BN has gone all out to block the Pakatan Rakyat ceramahs or political lectures due to be held at more than two dozen different locations over the weekend in conjunction with the PKR annual congress.

But according to PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, the high-handed police action will not stop them from reaching out to the Johor folk.

“The permits were given a few days ago but revoked last night. We will still go ahead. This proves that Umno uses public institutions for the cause. We are more resolved now,” Azmin told reporters after opening the PKR Youth and Women’s congress at Pulai Springs on Friday.

Flags and buntings also removed

The party's permits were suddenly revoked without explanation by the police effective last night, with PKR leaders informed only today.

Apart from Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, PKR president Wan Azizah, top guns from Pakatan including Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, Hadi Awang and Nik Aziz are due to arrive on Saturday.

Johoreans have been anticipating the lectures and were keen to know the venues as many wanted to meet their political heroes in the flesh as well as to grill them on their policies ahead of the general election, widely expected to be held in January.

It would be too much to expect the Pakatan leaders to disappoint the people, said Azmin. He also said the Johor government had instructed all local councils to stop the events and to cooperate with the police in blocking the Pakatan rallies. Flags and bunting have also been unceremoniously removed.

Azmin said Pakatan will now shift strategy and move towards smaller-scale ceramahs and political lectures.

Scared by the Pakatan onslaught

Johor has long been the political bastion for both Umno and MCA. Within Peninsular Malaysia, it was also the state least affected by the 'political tsunami' that swept the country in the 2008 election, giving the Pakatan Rakyat victory in 5 of the country's 13 state.

Not surprisingly, Umno and MCA are fearful that the reform wave will now blow through Johor. As it is, Johor MCA may face decimation in the 13th general election widely expected to be held in January. Umno is also expected to lose an unprecedented number of state and parliamentary seats.

Meanwhile, Johor police chief Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff denied that all permits for PKR ceramahs have been cancelled, insisting that one permit was still 'alive'. "The ceramah in Taman Daya in Johor Selatan still has a permit,” said Mokhtar.

But one out of 24 is cold comfort for the PKR indeed, although the crackdown is bound to infuriate the Johor folk and backfire on the BN.

Malaysia Chronicle