Protestors take Assembly bill fight onto LRT

With demonstrations in motion set to be outlawed soon, some 60 protesters today held one during an LRT ride from KL Sentral to the KLCC station.

The all in yellow group converged at KL Sentral before boarding the LRT to be greeted by surprised faces from fellow commuters.

Armed with yellow balloons carrying their New Year wishes, the crowd attracted curious looks during their journey.

Some of the balloons read: "I wish for a safe Malaysia", "Kill the bill" and "democracy".

On Dec 22, Dewan Negara cleared the Peaceful Assembly Act which bans street demonstrations.

The last hurdle is the Agong's endorsement but the legislation will still become law automatically within a month even without royal approval.

Today's protest is the fifth by killthebill.org since the Bill was first introduced in Parliament in November.

'Disappointed with police no-show'

Earlier at KL Sentral, protest organiser Wong Chin Huat cracked that he was disappointed that Brickfield OCPD Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid was not there to arrest him.

"I was expecting Wan Bari to bring his men here and haul us up into Black Marias so we could spend New Year's Day in the lockup, he looks down on our significance," he said.

On Dec 14, police had arrested some 15 students when they converged at KL Sentral, protesting for academic freedom.

Upon arriving at KLCC, the group marched to its shopping mall while wishing fellow shoppers Happy New Year and handing out mango candies.

They later dined at a restaurant but some were later asked to wait outside, and subsequently asked to leave for "hindering" crowd movement.

"The restaurant owner was quite nice but two other persons from the KLCC management were giving him instructions.

"KLCC is hurting the tenant... We're here for business, to support the economy but they are impeding business," said Wong.

The KLCC management had during previous protests threatened the group with a court injunction, stressing that action would be taken against "out of the ordinary" behaviour.

The group later relocated to the shopping mall's food court before proceeding to the KLCC park to sing the national anthem.

'Civil disobedience will continue'

Despite the imminence of the Peaceful Assembly Bill turning into law, another organiser Phang CY vowed to continue with the struggle.

"We want to educate people not to be fearful of a draconian law so people should speak up."

Echoing him, Wong said today's protest showed how "illegal assembly" could take place through the simple act of riding an LRT or dining at a restaurant.

"This is civil obedience and whatever KLCC does to stop us we will respond in a fun way," he added, promising to stage another protest next week,