While 'Janji Demokrasi' is the real Merdeka event, Selangor denies snubbing Sultan...

The occasion could not have been better chosen or timed: The eve of the country's 55th Merdeka anniversary, two hours before countdown.

The venue could not have been more appropriate: Dataran Merdeka, where the countdown to Merdeka is held every year to commemorate the very first countdown to independence in 1957.

The theme could not have been more telling: ‘Janji Demokrasi', a response to the government's Merdeka theme, ‘Janji Ditepati'. Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate) A Samad Said (centre) to read his impassioned poem with its powerful ending:

Kita laungkan jerit senyaringnya: "Janji Demokrasi!" sehinggalah janji itu turut menjeritnya sendiri!

(We cry with all our hearts: "The promise of democracy!"
until the promise itself joins in and cries out together with us!)

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein predicted few people would turn up. But he was wrong. 

They came by the thousands - some counted tens of thousands - dressed in yellow, as requested by the organisers.

They came to show their disapproval of the government's hijack of this year's celebrations by imposing the theme ‘Janji Ditepati' (Promises Fulfilled), which is actually the ruling party's election campaign slogan. They came to remind the government that it had indeed not fulfilled its promises - above all, the promise of clean and fair elections.

A demonstration like this would have come in the past from the opposition, but the amazing thing about this one is that it came from the rakyat. The rakyat came to Dataran Merdeka - people of all races, dressed in yellow, in fraternity, united in a common cause.

When this comes from the rakyat, not opposition politicians, the ruling party must needs tremble.

The rakyat even defied the police ban on the gathering. Hours before the event, the police tried to frighten people away by declaring the gathering illegal. But the people didn't care. Their disregard was a clear sign that the system is falling apart. When the people don't respect the law enforcers as well as the policy-makers, the end for the latter has to be near.

These were people who came of their own accord, braving the possibility of arrest. Very different from many of those who would be attending the official Merdeka Day celebrations the next night at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, the extravaganza organised by the government to display its might.

Of those who attended the Bukit Jalil event, ‘Himpunan Merdeka', an insider tells me, "at least 50 percent were instructed to attend. We were given RM60 for meal expenses, free travel on the LRT. 

Those who brought their family got an additional RM50. Free rides on chartered buses were provided."

About 100,000 people reportedly showed up, but there must have been many who were lured by the live performances of famous local artistes, the fireworks display and the lucky draw. The prizes included a Proton Prevé, a Chevrolet Cruze, air tickets to London and Sydney, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.

Striking differences

The comparison of the participants at the Janji Demokrasi gathering and those at Himpunan Merdeka is striking. The former were not promised any incentives. The only incentive for them was expressing their disaffection for the government, sending the ruling party the message that it cannot hijack Merdeka for its own selfish purpose: Merdeka belongs to the people, not to BN.

That they managed to do so, in defiance of the police, on such a significant national occasion must be devastating for the government.

Going by this, if BN were to retain Putrajaya at the next general election, it will not have an easy time governing for another five years. It will likely face consistent resistance from a recalcitrant rakyat. Would it be facetious then to suggest that it capitulate now? Indeed, some people have already been calling this year's Merdeka celebrations "Umno-BN's farewell bash".

However, BN's leaders continue to strive to maintain that they are right.

Prime Minister Najib Razak, in defending the use of ‘Janji Ditepati' as the Merdeka theme, says there is no reason for anyone to dispute it "unless a person is not used to keeping promises". He says everyone should fulfil their promises, including ordinary people. "If the people want the country to be peaceful, stable and more prosperous, the people must promise to contribute to peace and prosperity."

The reasoning sounds weird and warped. Mainly because the logic of putting the onus on the people to ensure peace and stability is strained and contrived. 

Usually, that duty is assigned to the government. But what is more telling is Najib's evasion of the all-important point - that ‘Janji Ditepati' is also BN's campaign slogan for the upcoming general election. That is the point of contention that he should have addressed.

In his speech at Himpunan Merdeka, Najib responded to the Janji Demokrasi gathering by saying that it involved only the minority whereas the gathering at Bukit Jalil involved the majority.
Again, he overlooked the key considerations.

First, many people were compelled to attend Himpunan Merdeka - among them civil servants and staff of some statutory bodies.

Second, many of the people of his so-called "majority" are those still zombified by the massive doses of government propaganda they are fed every day through the mainstream press and television, and have therefore not awakened to the government's chicanery.

Third, if there had been no banning of the Janji Demokrasi gathering and the threat of possible arrest, many more people might have gone for it. Plus, many who did not show up nonetheless support it in their hearts. On social media that night, many said they wished they had gone, and many more cheered the success of the turnout.

Fourth, those who did come for the Janji Demokrasi gathering were not attracted by incentives, like payments, free transport and lucky draws. Their reason for coming was sincere and genuine.

Sore losers
 
It speaks poorly of the nation's prime minister that he used the Merdeka Day celebrations to lash out at Janji Demokrasi.

Not only that, he also demonised the opposition by accusing them of trying to bring chaos to the nation. Merdeka Day is supposed to be a day of national harmony and reconciliation. Desperate though Najib may be to win the next general election, he should still have shown respect for the occasion. Instead, he hijacked the event and used it as his election platform.

How then can it not be said that the Janji Demokrasi gathering was totally justified?

By the way, the gathering was peaceful, and Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Zainuddin Ahmad admitted that no untoward incidents were reported. Yet even so, he added, "We'll investigate later (for any violations)." What's there to investigate if there were no untoward incidents?

He also said they would investigate Samad for reading a poem. Since when has reading a poem become an offence? Don't the police have more important things to do - like going after criminals instead?

It's time the police realised that people power is on the rise and adjusted to the new paradigm - or they will look stupid playing their outdated games. It does not do them well to take their cue from their boss at the Home Ministry, Hishammuddin Hussein, who in commending them for maintaining security at the Janji Demokrasi gathering said: "We see that the event, which was aimed at creating chaos, failed ..."

His statement was outright unfair - and downright stupid. He also sounded like a sore loser. But then, if you have seen how gamblers behave when their chips are down, you will understand why he said it.- kee thuan chye, malaysiakini

Himpunan Janji Demokrasi adalah acara Merdeka sebenar...

Himpunan Janji Demokrasi terus berjaya walaupun diugut dengan berbagai ancaman supaya rakyat jangan menyertainya, kata AJK PAS Pusat, Idris Ahmad.

Katanya, puluhan ribu rakyat daripada berbagai latar belakang bangsa dan agama berhimpun dengan satu tekad supaya demokrasi dipulihkan, pilihanraya adil mesti dilaksanakan.

“Kehadiran tanpa diupah dengan wang dan tarian K-Pop. Datang dengan tekad untuk melihat perubahan politik di negara ini.

“Alhamdulillah himpunan berjalan dengan aman dan harmoni,” ujarnya dalam satu kenyataan.

Ini, ujarnya satu lagi bukti tanpa provokasi dan gangguan polis maka seramai mana pun yang hadir ia akan terkawal.

Beliau berkata, sudah ada tiga himpunan aman yang besar berjalan dengan damai, Bersih 1.0 pada 10 Nov 2007, Himpunan Oren (14 Julai 2012) dan Himpunan Janji Demokrasi (30 Ogos 2012).

Tambahnya, hampir 80 peratus yang hadir ialah anak muda dan ia gambaran yang menakutkan kepada Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak untuk mengadakan PRU13.

“Jika dilihat daripada kehadiran pada malam tadi pemetaan politik Malaysia akan berubah insya Allah merupakan pra akan tumbang BN di dalam PRU akan datang.

“Reformarsi ini lebih hebat daripada tahun 1998, kerana penyertaan yang menyeluruh daripada berbagai bangsa, sedangkan sebelumnya hanya dari kalangan orang Melayu sahaja,” katanya lagi.

Jika dahulu, kata beliau kebangkitan rakyat kerana marah kepada individu yang bernama Dr Mahathir, sedangkan sekarang kemarahan kepada sistem yang tidak adil dan dasar-dasar yang tidak menguntungkan rakyat.

Menurutnya, rakyat hanya menunggu masa untuk buat perubahan dan bila-bila masa mereka sudah bersedia untuk mendapat kerajaan baru.

Tegasnya, mereka tidak sabar untuk menterjemahkan protes mereka melalui peti undi. - harakahdaily

 MB Selangor bersama Tuanku Sultan Selangor di Masjid Negeri Shah Alam...

Menteri Besar Selangor bersama Tuanku Sultan Selangor di Masjid Negeri Selangor pada Majlis Bacaan Yasin dan Tahlil sempena Hari Merdeka ke-55.

Ini selayaknya seorang Sultan berada, bukannya di stadium terpekik dan terlolong sepertimana yang dilakukan oleh Najib... Najib oii..!!- addin blogspot

Tetapi Najib terlupa atau sengaja lupa bahawa kerajaan Pusat UMNO/BN lansung tidak menjemput DYMM Seri Padu baginda Yang Dipertuan Agong ke di countdown Merdeka di Stadium Merdeka kelmarin dan di Majlis Sambutan Merdeka di Stadium Bukit Jalil semalam.

Najib kata takkan Anwar lebih besar dari Sultan?


Pencacai nampaknya naik gila apabila kerajaan Selangor menjemput Anwar di malam sambutan merdeka. Katanya Anwar tak ada locus standi.

Perkasa membuat laporan polis. Setiausaha Sulit Sultan Selangor, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani mengulas tentang itu. Adakah Sultan Selangor berkata begitu atau dia yang melebih-lebih mengulas begitu.

“Kebiasaannya kalau Tuanku tidak dapat hadir dalam program rasmi negeri, Menteri Besar akan menggantikan baginda untuk memberi ucapan,” katanya dan menambah, “tetapi mengapa Anwar yang dijemput, ini program rasmi, bukan politik.”

Najib jadi bodoh dengan perkara ini, patutlah diberak orang.

“Soal tidak hormat Sultan Selangor bukan mengejutkan kita … mereka lebih hormat penasihat ekonomi yang tidak ada locus standi,”kata Najib.

“Baginda adalah simbol kepada negeri yang perlu kita hormati,” kata Najib lagi.

Kita nak bertanya Najib, mana dia agung di malam sambutan merdeka yang Najib buat? 

Yang kelihatan Najib, suami Najib Rosmah, Muhyiddin Yassin. Agung di mana??? Bukankah Agung juga simbol kepada negara yang perlu kita hormati.

Satu lagi bila masakah sebelum ini Sultan dan Agung kelihatan tercokoh pada malam ambang merdeka? Kebiasaannya Agung dan Sultan menghadiri majlis merdeka pada siangnya.- ekeleh.com



Semasa kat Bukit Jalil kelihatan disebelah Najib ialah seorang perempuan bernama Rosmah. 

Belum pernah berlaku sebelum ini di dalam sejarah di mana isteri PM disediakan tempat khas di pentas seolah-olah beliau salah seorang menteri kanan kabinet sehingga menenggelamkan wajah-wajah menteri kabinet yang lain.

DYMM Agong dan tempat Agong tidak kelihatan. Apakah ini bererti Najib atau Rosmah lebih besar dari Yang Dipertuan Agong?

Selangor nafi belakangkan Sultan, amalan biasa tidak jemput hadiri ambang Merdeka...

Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Selangor hari ini menafikan mereka sengaja membelakangi sultan kerana tidak menjemput baginda dalam majlis sambutan ambang Kemerdekaan ke-55 di Dataran Shah Alam pada malam Khamis lalu.

Sebaliknya, kerajaan negeri itu menjelaskan adalah sudah menjadi tradisi dan amalan negeri berkenaan tidak menjemput Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah untuk menghadiri majlis sambutan ambang Kemerdekaan negeri.

Menurut Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar Selangor, Faekah Husin (gambar), amalan berkenaan bukan baru dilaksanakan ketika pemerintahan PR, tetapi turut dipraktikkan sejak zaman pemerintahan Barisan Nasional (BN) di negeri terkaya itu sebelum tewas dalam pilihan raya umum 2008 kepada PR.

"Memang menjadi tradisi sejak empat tahun lepas Tuanku Sultan tidak dijemput dan hadir untuk program sambutan ambang Kemerdekaan.

"Baginda hanya dijemput berangkat ke majlis Yasin dan Tahlil di masjid negeri, Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah," katanya ketika dihubungi The Malaysian Insider.

Jelas Faekah, beliau yakin Seketariat Sambutan Ambang Kemerdekaan yang dipengerusikan Datuk Khusrin Munawi selaku Ketua Setiausaha Negeri (SUK) telah meneliti senarai jemputan dan protokol sambutan berkenaan sebelum program itu dilaksanakan.

"Kita percaya Datuk Khusrin telah melihat senarai protokol yang dijemput tahun-tahun lepas termasuk sambutan ketika zaman pemerintahan BN.

"Tapi sekiranya pada tahun ini baginda berniat untuk mencemar duli turun ke sambutan ambang merdeka, Setiausaha Sulit baginda Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani perlu memaklumkan kepada kami, tapi tiada sebarang makluman berkenaan perkara itu daripada beliau," jelas Faekah lagi.

Malah, beliau turut meluahkan rasa kesal terhadap kenyataan Munir di media yang menunjukkan seolah-olah kerajaan PR Selangor cuba membelakangkan sultan.

"Datuk Khusrin sendiri telah beri jaminan Datuk Munir akan memberi penjelasan, tapi saya tidak faham kenapa kenyataannya dalam media amat berlainan.

"Bila berkaitan dengan sultan dan istana, kerajaan negeri amat berhati-hati," katanya kepada The Malaysian Insider.

Malah, melalui khidmat pesanan ringkas Khusrin kepada Faekah, beliau berkata maklum berkenaan perkara itu yang menjadi isu dan akan menuntut Munir untuk memberi penjelasan semula.

"Saya maklum. Utusan sengaja nak buat isu. Selama ini memang Tuanku tak pernah dijemput dalam program  malam kemerdekaan kecuali majlis baca yasin . Saya minta Dato munir untuk beri penjelasan semula," kata khidmat pesanan ringkas tersebut yang dihantar Khusrin kepada Faekah.

Awal hari ini, memetik laporan Sinar Harian, Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, mempesoalkan tindakan kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Selangor menjemput Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai tetamu kehormat sewaktu Sambutan Kemerdekaan ke-55 peringkat negeri malam Khamis lalu.

Munir berkata tindakan oleh PR Selangor itu menimbulkan tanda tanya kerana Anwar tidak menjawat sebarang kedudukan tertinggi di peringkat negeri, sebaliknya hanya bertindak selaku Penasihat Ekonomi negeri.

"Tuanku Sultan melahirkan rasa pelik mengapa Anwar yang tidak berada dalam jawatan tertinggi negeri menjadi tetamu kehormat. Beliau tidak memegang sebarang portfolio rasmi kecuali sebagai Penasihat Ekonomi.

"Kebiasaannya kalau Tuanku tidak dapat hadir dalam program rasmi negeri, Menteri Besar akan menggantikan baginda untuk memberi ucapan," katanya dan menambah, "tetapi mengapa Anwar yang dijemput, ini program rasmi, bukan politik."

Malah, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak semalam turut menegaskan, tindakan kerajaan PR Selangor itu yang tidak menjemput Sultan ketika sambutan ambang Kemerdekaan di Dataran Shah Alam  bukanlah satu tindakan yang mengejutkan.

Sebaliknya, beliau berkata kerajaan negeri itu juga lebih menghormati Anwar yang tidak mempunyai "locus standi" berbanding Sultan Selangor.

"Soal tidak hormat Sultan Selangor bukan mengejutkan kita ... mereka lebih hormat penasihat ekonomi yang tidak ada locus standi," tegas Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN) itu ketika Majlis Rumah Terbuka BN Selangor semalam.

Faekah turut berkata, pihaknya yakin Sultan Selangor akan melihat perkara itu dengan teliti dan dalam ruang lingkup yang lebih luas.

"Saya percaya tuanku akan melihat ini dengan lebih luas.

"Tiada siapa mahu ketepikan Sultan, apa lagi kalau baginda sendiri berniat ingin mencemar duli turut hadir malam ambang merdeka," katanya dan menambah "tetapi jika benar begitu, hasrat itu bagaimanapun tidak sampai kepada kita."

"Jika ianya dimaklumkan, saya yakin sambutan ambang kemerdekaan pada malam itu  akan menjadi lebih meriah dengan kehadiran baginda," katanya lagi.- malaysian insider

Selangor denies snubbing Sultan, says norm not to invite for N-Day do...

cheers.