Event for Ambiga pelted with eggs and stones...

An angry mob pelted two DAP state assemblypersons and party supporters at a high tea event in Merlimau, Malacca today that was to feature Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan.

When contacted, Ayer Keroh state rep Khoo Poay Tiong ( left) said the some hecklers had attacked him and Bandar Hilir rep Tey Kok Kiew while they were leaving the venue after the event.

“A stone hit me and the eggs hit our vehicles. One of our members’ windshield was also broken,” he said ( top photo).

Tey's vehicle had one of its tyres punctured, a side mirror broken and its body badly dented by the hecklers (last photo below).

He has since lodged a report at Merlimau police station.
Earlier, Malaysiakini’s phone conversation with Khoo prior to the attack was cut off after incessant screaming was heard in the background.

Khoo said some 200 people whom he claimed were linked to Malay rights group Perkasa, had blocked off the main entrance leading to the event in Malacca organised by the Malacca PAS Supporters' Club.

"Anyone who wanted to come in had to use the kampung road, and police have advised people not to attend to event," he said.
 
The group clad in red T-shirts - some were the same ones worn by the crowd at last week's Umno 66th anniversary at Bukit Jalil stadium - heckled outside the event while it proceeded.

The intrusion took place despite Ambiga’s last-minute cancellation due to concerns that some parties may have intentions to "create chaos" at the event.

Khoo said they however decided to proceed with the event as some 300 participants had already turned up.

"Everything is okay inside (at the event), but it's a ruckus outside," Khoo told Malaysiakini during the event.

‘Utterly appalled at intimidation’

Yesterday, a number of pressure groups lodged a police report against Ambiga in an attempt to prevent her from setting foot in Merlimau for the event.

In a Bersih Youtube posting later, Ambiga (right) said she had wanted to attend the event but decided against it after being advised by organisers.

"I was still going to go but I had received news that there is every intention from some quarters to create chaos and to stop me from speaking in Merlimau.

"As a result the organisers, after consulting with the police have asked me not to come," she said.

Ambiga added that she was "utterly appalled" at the level to which certain parties had descended in attempting to prevent her from speaking.

However, she said that voters should take this incident as a lesson.

"It is good for Malaysians to see what is happening here. I call it voter education. Voters must now decide whether this is the kind of Malaysia we want.

"Where ordinary citizens can be threatened and stopped from travelling within their own country and intimidated from giving speeches at the invitation of others," she said.

Heckling at Pakatan ceramahs have been a common sight in recent months as widely speculated early GE looms. 

However, this is the first time an event has been disrupted specifically targeting Bersih.

 Do not underestimate Malaysians...

The Bersih 3.0 rally may be three weeks old, but for the organisers co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan it is still not too late to pay tribute to Malaysians for coming out in strength to show support.


Asked by Malaysiakini what had she learnt from the rally, Ambiga's quick response was do not underestimate Malaysians.


She said Bersih is not about herself, in reality it is a ground-up movement.

"It is not mine, it's not Pak Samad Said's. We did not pay for them to come, and in fact they paid on their own for the T-shirts and transport. Some designed them on their own. The people have taken ownership of Bersih.

"It just captured the imagination of the people. What I have learnt from Bersih 3.0 is that do not underestimate Malaysians. It was a far bigger crowd than we had anticipated and we have to learn to be better prepared.

"I have also learnt that the authorities can actually go berserk. I am still reeling from the extent of the violence and this is a government which is looking liberal and yet they do this.


"My fear is to what extent they are prepared to go to curb dissent. I'm a bit disquieted about that," she said.


Ambiga said the incident had deepened her faith in Malaysians, standing together in solidarity purely in support of each other is a wonderful thing.


In not taking credit for what had happened, the former Bar Council chairperson said Bersih had awakened and sparked off something positive in the people.


"We are not looking for differences but looking at unity for a common purpose (clean and fair elections). This is hard to fight back.


"They cannot fight this, and they should not fight as this is powerful stuff," she warned, though elections may be boring stuff for some.


Mind you, Ambiga said, the rally did not taken place only in Malaysia but in 80 other places worldwide, too, including people putting up the Bersih flag at the base camp of Mt Everest, and at Mount Kinabalu.

Eye on what comes first

She said Bersih's immediate task is not to organise Bersih 4.0 but to gather all those hurt at the rally to compile a report.


"I know people are pushing for another rally but we have unfinished business - violence in relation to the people, apart from voter education. We must bring justice to the people who were hurt," he said.


On the number hurt, she said the reports are being compiled and non-governmental organisation like Lawyers for Liberty and Suaram had recently sent a report that around a 100 had been injured to the Malaysia Human Rights Council (Suhakam).

"We are hoping that Suhakam will hold an inquiry into police brutality. We owe it to the public for the facts to come out and let them out," she said.


Besides this, Ambiga said Bersih 3.0 is also pressing on with its efforts to seek the resignation of the Election Commission members.


The Bersih co-chairperson said she cannot understand the slow response to allegations that EC chairperson, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof (right) and his deputy Wan Ahmad Wan Omar are Umno members.

Why EC should step down

"It is clear that we should know either they were or were not members and surely Umno should know. The response should've been immediate. Why is there such a fudging of the issue. There should be clarity whether they are members or not. There's no two ways about it, if they are members of a political party they cannot be EC chair and deputy," she said.


She said the July 9, Bersih 2.0 rally had seen the successful setting up of a parliamentary select committee (PSC) where many civil society groups have been calling for the liberalisation of certain legislation, and it is a good step for the government.


"But we have not seen the PSC report, and we do not think the recommendations cover Bersih 2.0's eight demands. Hence, we do not think the PSC has achieved its purpose."


On her views on several quarters, including former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim, calling for a tribunal against Abdul Aziz and Wan Ahmad, she said Bersih would not go as that far as that, all they want is for the two to leave and not only they but the rest of the EC members, too.

"The reason we are asking for their resignation is because the public has lost confidence in them but over and above all that is they are members of Umno They should resign," she said, adding they also want international observers for the 13th general election.

However, she commended the government for withdrawing the amendment to the Election Offences Amendment Bill.

 Demands left hanging

On how many of Bersih's demands had been met since the PSC was set up, Ambiga said out of eight only one and that, too, not completely - the indelible ink.

She said that indelible ink use had been gazetted but Bersih is still in the dark over how it would be applied whether the finger will be dipped in ink or only applied to it.


"As to the calls of free and fair media as pledged, I do not know how the press is going to transform overnight from being partisan to non-partisan.


"There is still the problem of the postal voters and this is being dealt with by Tindak Malaysia.


"In reality not many of our demands have been met," she said. She also referred to the issue of overseas voters, she could not understand why it cannot be implemented.


She noted that Indonesia has enfranchised its citizens abroad but not Malaysia.


When questioned, they shoot back  who asked you to leave the country, Ambiga said, adding what they should do is make it worthwhile for them to return home.


"They really need a lesson on winning the hearts of the people," she said.


Ambiga disagreed with the notion that the Bersih protest represented a minority group as alleged by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.


"Look, even if 10,000 people took a stand you have to listen. Are you saying because we are a minority our push for clean and fair elections is not legitimate.

"Look at our background, Malaysians had been brought up in fear and they stood up in Bersih 2.0.

"Bersih 3.0 is even bigger. The premier (says) he has a silent majority and I would say we also have a silent majority which did not come out just as theirs.

"These are really silly arguments. The very fact 250,000 came up, it is certainly something they should pay attention to and if they don't they would end up making a silly mistake," she said.

Ambiga: Recent protests will not affect decision on Bersih 4.0

Batu dan telur hinggap di acara Ambiga

Dua anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) DAP menjadi mangsa apabila acara minum petang bersama Pengerusi Bersama BERSIH S Ambiga dihadiri sekumpulan pemarah yang tidak berpuas hati.

ADUN Ayer Keroh Khoo Poay Tiong berkata kumpulan pengacau itu menyerangnya dan ADUN Bandar Hilir Tey Kok Kiew apabila mereka meninggalkan tempat acara itu.

"Batu dan telur mengenai kereta kami. Cermin depan anggota kami turut pecah," katanya.

Salah satu daripada tayar kenderaan Tey juga dipancitkan, cermin sisi pecah dan badannya kemik teruk dihentam kumpulan itu.

Beliau membuat laporan polis di balai polis Merlimau.
 
source: malaysiakini

 Piee Afdal makan pun tak kenyang,titon pun tak lena...

Ahli Parlimen Ampang yang juga Ketua Wanita PKR Pusat, Hajjah Zuraida Kamaruddin berkata Skandal Seks Menteri Luar Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal dengan artis Zahida Rafiq yang membabitkan wang sejumlah RM1.5 juta bukan perkara kecil dan sepatutnya Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) membuka kertas siasatan dan mengambil tindakan undang-undang yang setimpal.

"Kita tahu Shafie Apdal sekarang makanpun tak kenyang, tidurpun tak lena kerana asyik memikirkan Skandal Seksnya dengan pelakon tersebut yang sudah nyata dan terang perkara ini akan mengubur dirinya di persada politik tanah air," kata Zuraida ketika menyampaikan Ceramah Perdana di Taman Miramas, kediaman Ketua Sri Kandi PKR Semporna, Nazmahwati Walli.

Katanya ahli-ahlipun UMNO sekarang sudah memandang serong terhadap Shafie kerana Skandal Seksnya terdedah kepada umum, terutama dari mana beliau memperolehi wang tunai untuk diberikan kepada Zahida sedangkan jawatannya sebagai Menteri KKLW tidak memungkinkan beliau memperoleh wang yang sebegitu banyak.

Kata Zuraida, sekalipun sebelum ini Shafie dan Zahida menafikan Skandal Seks mereka dan memfailkan saman terhadapnya, namun penjelasan bekas pemandu yang gajinya dibayar Shafie, Noor Azman Azemi dan keluarga Di Raja Kedah, Dayangku Intan telah menyerlahkan segala rahsia yang disembunyikan selama ini.

"Kita sudah dengar khabar bahawa Shafie akan digugurkan pada PRU Ke-13 dan BN Sabah mencalonkan muka baru kerana beliau telah mengotorkan imej UMNO/BN, terutama Skandal Top-Up," kata Zuraida yang menyambut baik keputusan Perdana Menteri menggugurkan Shafie.

Walaupun sudah 20 tahun menjadi ahli Parlimen Semporna dan Menteri Kabinet, namun Shafie gagal membangunkan Semporna, terutama kemudahan asas, melainkan yang dilaksanakan oleh pihak swasta atau agensi persekutuan yang tidak mempunyai kaitan dengan beliau.

“Tengok sahaja jalan masuk ke pekan Semporna, hanya sehala dan menyebabkan kesesakan dan kemiskinan penduduk kampung di pesisir pantai dan kepulauan. Kita terkejut kerana ramai terpaksa menjadikan peminta sedekah sebagai profesion untuk meneruskan kehidupan yang amat sukar di Semporna," ujar Zuraida yang kesal kerana BN gagal membangunkan Semporna.

Kata Zuraida, beliau hairan kerana jika untuk menaiktaraf jalan dan jambatan kayu di kawasan kampung di pesisir pantai dan kepulauan tiada peruntukan, tetapi ada pula wang RM1.5 juta untuk diberikan kepada Zahida.

"Pemimpin BN seperti Shafie ini wajib disingkir keran apa gunanya rakyat Semporna mengharapkan bantuan dan kepimpinannya lagi sedangkan beliau sudah tidak mampu menunjukkan contoh teladan yang baik," ujar Zuraida yang menggesa agar penduduk Semporna melakukan jihad menyingkirkan pemimpin yang tidak amanah seperti Shafie dan tiga Adun yang sedia ada.

Para pemimpin UMNO, kata Zuraida, kalau bercakap bukan main besar; kata mereka, sejak BN/UMNO memerintah Sabah ramai golongan bumiputera telah menjadi jutawan dan hanya 10 peratus orang bumiputera Sabah yang masih miskin.

Sehubungan itu, Zuraida menyarankan rakyat Semporna harus bangun serentak menukar kerajaan yang ada sekarang kerana melakukan penindasan terhad rakyat; terutama dalam isu Mini Estate Rumpai yang sudahpun dimeterai perjanjian (MOU) tapi projeknya hanya indah khabar dari rupa.- AZEE SANDULONG, kafesantai.blogspot


cheers.