Police 'get tough' at Batu Pahat Black 505, but the crowd continues to build up

UPDATE2 As the dust settles on a purported 'top secret' meeting in Jakarta between Opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim and Prime Minister Najib Razak, all eyes are on a Black 505 rally due to be held later tonight in Batu Pahat, Johor.

But it looks like the suspicion that Najib was using Anwar to feign 'national reconciliation' may be correct. Police have already begun to crack down on the rally due to be held in a vacant field opposite the McDonalds in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat.

"Please remove your cars. Don't park here. You are obstructing traffic," the police, who swooped into the site in several white Proton Waja patrol cars, blared on their megaphone.

Fear of 'outsiders'

However, despite the rather pompous and intimidating tone of the police command, the Pakatan supporters already at the site were cool in their response - quietly re-parking their cars although there was more than ample space along the rather sparsely-used 4-lane highway.

It was ironic that as the police shrilled out their orders, a tape recording of a past Pakatan ceramah (political talk) continued to be played at full-blast, calling on Muslims and Malaysians of all creed to reject the BN's corrupt government using as examples the BN's continuous and covert issuance of casino licenses to cronies to amass wealth for themselves and their families.

Police later appeared to soften their stance. They told Malaysia Chronicle that as long as the rally goers parked their cars 'properly', they could go in. "We are afraid of outsiders coming in," the officer told Malaysia Chronicleabout an hour after the first order was given.

This is the first time the police have shown their hand directly at the Black 505 rallies, although they had over the weekend arrested 15 people during a Black 505-linked flash mob in Kuala Lumpur.

Previously, the district police chief would announce in the press the gathering was illegal but when the rally proceeded, they had helped maintain traffic and public order in a discreet manner. None of the rallies have turned rowdy, with Pakatan supporters adhering to the calls of the coalition leaders to behave and not get involved in any quarrel or fight.

Big crowd despite Najib's crackdown

A star-studded lineup is expected at tonight's ceramah due to start around 9pm featuring top Pakatan leaders including Anwar, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang if he can make it in time.

In their speeches, they are expected to keep the torch burning for electoral reforms, the lack of which they claim had allowed Najib and his Umno-BN coalition to "steal" victory from them during the May 5 general election.

The added spice for tonight will be the high-profile news 'leaks' from a news portal aligned to the Najib camp claiming that he and Anwar had gone to Jakarta to negotiate a truce. Anwar may shed some light on his trip although Pakatan leaders have denied the news.

"No," was the flat reply from PKR vice president Tian Chua when asked by Malaysia Chronicle if the two men did get a chance to meet up before Anwar flew home.

"Najib has nothing to offer. He only wanted to make use of Anwar's name to play good cop versus Mahathir's bad cop to pacify street actions. Take my word, Najib has no intention to make any concessions at all."

Tian was referring to former premier Mahathir Mohamad, well-known for his ham-fisted rule and who recently called on Najib to take "tough" action against the Opposition for protesting the outcome of the elections.

Najib plays 'good cop' to Dr M's 'bad cop': Contrived doublespeak angers voters even more

Pakatan, which won 51% of the total votes, came in with only 89 seats versus Umno-BN's 133 and 47% of the popular vote. The obvious discrepancy has spurred Anwar and Pakatan to refuse to concede defeat and they have launched a series of 'Black 505' rallies to garner public support for their decision and to pressure for electoral reforms beginning with the removal of the Election Commission chairman and deputy chairman.

So far, they have held 13 rallies, with the last held in Kota Bahru, Kelantan on Wednesday that drew a crowd of more than 20,000. Since the first rally in Kelana Jaya, Selangor on May 8, more than half a million Malaysians have come out to cheer for the Pakatan. On June 22, a mammoth rally is planned in Kuala Lumpur at the Padang merbok field nearby to the Parliament House and Lake Gardens.

Sad to say, despite reiterating promises of reform, Najib has not made any concrete moves. Contrary to his rhetoric, he has actually clamped down further on civil liberties by arresting nearly a dozen Opposition activists and leaders for having organized the allegedly illegal rallies.

The EC chairman Aziz Yusof and deputy chairman Wan Ahmad have added to the farce with overblown defiance to the public calls for their resignations. Aziz made it clear to the media that it was "impossible" to remove him and his deputy and so "why should I quit".

MORE TO COME

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