Rising from the ashes of July 9, Ibrahim vows to pray subuh on Jan 9

Jan 4: The age-old adage "once bitten, twice shy" may never mean anything to UMNO's right-wing offshoot Perkasa.

After its last promise to disrupt the 50,000-strong rally for electoral reforms by Bersih on July 9 miserably failed, the group is now after another rally, this time the peaceful gathering in solidarity with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim next week.

Pakatan Rakyat earlier announced that the rally at the Kuala Lumpur High Court would be held on January 9, the day a guilty verdict is expected to be issued, effectively putting the PKR de-facto leader behind bars. PKR deputy president Azmin Ali had vowed to mobilise at least 100,000 supporters for the rally.

Anwar has consistently denied the sodomy allegation, and having lost confidence in the judiciary amid a string of procedural setbacks handed out to his lawyers, Anwar chose to allow the trial conclude in the way many felt it would.

This time around, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali (pic) said his mission was to defend 'national peace', and said they would gather after the pre-dawn subuh prayer at the nearby Federal Territory mosque. 

While one is not certain if Ibrahim and his supporters would be willing to walk the extra miles to again loiter around the Lake Gardens, as they had done during the last rally, it may prove to be a herculean task for Perkasa members to be at the mosque early to catch the subuh congregation - a prayer which even most able-bodied Muslims would habitually perform at home in view of its timing.

“After that, we will march and if we collide with Azmin Ali (PKR deputy president) with their supporters who are willing to defend their leader with issues of morality, we will make provocations together,” declared Ibrahim to reporters who had grown to love his antics.

On the police’s directive urging all parties not to gather, the Pasir Mas member of parliament challenged the police to stop Perkasa. Whether this would require one unit of patrol car or truckloads of Federal Reserve Unit personnel, remains to be seen. - Harakahdaily