Be in KL before Sat, watch out for h/phone and Internet suspension

The Bersih organising committee has warned that mobile phone networks and Internet services may be suspended this weekend as part of a harsh givernment clampdown against its Saturday rally for free and fair elections.

In a statement out on Thursday, the Bersih 2.0 steering committee said that such measures would only make the authorities little different from MId-East despots such as Hosni Mubarak and Ben Ali, who have since been overthrown by peoples' uprisings in their respective countries of Egypt and Tunisia.

“Bersih 2.0 is alarmed by intelligence that there might be a full or partial clampdown on the Internet as we approach this weekend," the free and fair elections watchdog said. (http://bm.bersih.org/)

"Bersih 2.0 warns the federal government that should access to the mobile phone networks, the Internet, mobile 3G services, specific websites or social media be compromised in any way, then the authorities will look absolutely no different from the Middle-Eastern dictators who have used the same measures with no success whatsoever."

Bersih also urged the authorities to extend reasonable co-operation rather than resort to repression, intimidation and other obstacles. Bersih's resolve to gather at Stadium Merdeka at 2pm on Saturday will not waver, it added.

“After which, we will disperse just as peacefully,” Bersih promised.

At least 100,000 Malaysians are expected to gather and this is a vastly reduced estimate due to the past weeks of arrests and scre-mongering by the authorities.

KL lock-down

Rally supporters were also urged to enter Kuala Lumpur before the rally day as the authorities are likely to implement a tight clampdown over the city-centre beginning Friday.

Police have already been mounting roadblocks during rush hour traffic since earlier this week, tensibly to check for weapons and but more for the purpose of weeding out possible protestors.

Additionally, Land Public Transport Commission chairperson Syed Hamid Albar has that temporary bus permits would not be issued for busses coming into Kuala Lumpur this weekend. He deined it was a new directive prompted by the rally.

“Observing the shocking fact that bus permits to Kuala Lumpur have already been frozen, plans seem to be well in place to make entering the city on Saturday as difficult as humanly possible,” Bersih said.

Emergency numbers to call on July 9th provided by Legal Aid group -

03 2691 3005.

03 2693 2072.

03 5510 7007.

03 3281 2428.

......Keep calls brief.

Name. IC. and location of police station if known.

Suaram

03 7784 3525 begin_of_the_skype_highlightin​g 03 7784 3525

- Malaysia Chronicle