UPDATED VIDEOS INSERTED KUALA LUMPUR - "Three truckloads" of activists, mostly from youth NGOs, were arrested by Malaysian police outside Parliament House where they had gathered to demand electoral reforms and the immediate resignations of the Election Commission's top officers.
According to eyewitnesses and members of the NGOs participating in the demonstration, at least 30 people were nabbed and believed to have been sent to the Dang Wangi headquarters where they are expected to face charges.
The government-controlled Bernama news agency reported at least 12 arrests, blaming the "ruckus" on Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which had organized a mammoth Black 505 rally on Saturday to protest the vote-rigging and cheating they claimed had robbed them of victory during the May 5 election.
Later in the afternoon, a press statement was posted on Facebook by Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohmad Salleh confirming that a total of 32 people were arrested, comprising 29 males and three females.
Among those hauled up were student leaders Safwan Anang and Adam Adli. Other activists who surrendered themselves include Chegubard or Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who is also an Opposition politician, Auntie Bersih (a well-known face in the activists circle) and Roslan Ismail, the head of Ambang 13 - a Kelantan-based pro-democracy youth outfit.
"We didn't start it. The police were the ones who were 'kasar' (rough). They started the fight and manhandled our activists. Our media has captured on camera and we will show these to the public once we are able to get the clips uploaded," Fazli, one of the protesters aged 22, told Malaysia Chronicle.
Pre-dawn raid
The police were tight-lipped, refusing to comment although they blamed the protesters for the traffic jam along the main road that leads into town.
However, the traffic congestion was not unduly large given that all schools in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor were closed for the day due to the haze. Many curious motorists slowed down to look. Some horned in sympathy, but generally the mood was cautious given the unusually heavy apolice presence.
There were about 100 activists at the most, the majority of whom had been evicted from their camp site at the nearby Padang Merbok field following a pre-dawn strike by the police and City Hall officials.
Regrouping, they had marched to towards Parliament where they had hoped to deliver a joint-memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Razak or to Home Minister Zahid Hamidi, urging for immediate measures to stop electoral fraud.
Apart from demanding that the EC panel quit, the protesters also asked for the EC to be placed under the direct purview of Parliament; that there be no redrawing of the constituency boundaries until the EC panel - some of whom are members of Najib's Umno party - was replaced by a team of bi-partisan experts; and re-elections are held in 30 seats where there has been the highest complaints and evidence of cheating.
Police and agent provocateurs
Police manning the barricade at Parliament outnumbered the protesters by at least 3 to 1.
At the scene, Malaysia Chronicle did spot a strongly-built man wearing dark glasses, with his face covered with a scarf. We believe he was an agent provocateur from the police force although we could not question him or get confirmation from the police seniors there. The man, with exceptionally good physique, had tried to deflect a reporter by pushing her shoulder - lightly - when she tried to take a shot of the students who had been bundled into a Black Maria.
Perhaps, to the police the press did get in the way of their work. However, there were also many other officers there who were courteous and helpful, urging and persuading instead of barking orders and using force to push away the media. The treatment dished out to the students and activists was even worse.
Indeed, the activists had refused to disperse when ordered to several times by the cops. But then, as the youths pointed out, they had not been given the chance to fulfill their mission - which was merely to hand over a document calling for the sacking or resignation of the Election Commission chiefs. The activists had in the usual style of activists the world over also tried various methods to show civil disobedience in a peaceful way, such as lying on the ground.
Such behavior does not warrant a beating or arrests but sad to say, the police treatment of the protesters was rather rough. If the labeling by the government-controlled media is any gauge - that the protesters were merely disgruntled members of the Opposition - then presumably the police's lack of respect towards the group may be due to the same belief.
"That is an abuse of power and the day the authorities understand this, and accept that it is the people's right to support whichever political party they wish and have the freedom to express their views peacefully without undue disturbance from the authorities, then our job will be more or less done," a lawyer who had come to help the activists upon hearing news of the demo told Malaysia Chronicle.
Appreciate not punish the youth's initiative
The police also did not fire the tear gas that they had appeared to be preparing earlier in the morning. Whatever the reason for the change in heart, this was fortunate given that the haze in the areas was rather bad.
Following the mass arrests, the remaining protesters agreed to disperse after Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad accepted their memo and promised to hand it to Najib and Zahid on their behalf.
"We congratulate the protesters, who despite their youth, managed to defend their stand by completing the camp-out and delivering their memo to the country's leaders. Your task is done and you should go home and rest or visit those who have been arrested and see if they need any help," said Khalid.
"We also regret that PM Najib and his government did not see fit to recognize this youthful initiative to make a stand to improve the democracy of this country. Instead of lauding and encouraging the youth of this country, it is sad that the government of the day only hounds them."
Malaysia Chronicle
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