The walk that led to nowhere

0120 13th September 2008

I’m a bit afraid with all that’s going on today. 3 people were arrested under the ISA with a rumored total of 12 others on the list as well which included bloggers and opposition MPs. We were ‘advised’ to cancel the march for our own safety but they don’t understand how badly some wanted to march. Since our regionals in August, we’ve been telling the communities that we’ll be marching to see our King. Communities that have to face intimidation from the police, gangsters, loggers and plantations, every day. How can we just go back and tell them we failed because the Royal Police of Malaysia has more power than our King?

It’s just a matter of someone, who was promised power in 2010 but seeing as this might not happen because he miscalculated the possibility of someone else getting it first, panicked. And his panicky state, he decided to throw a wrench in the gear by sending the whole nation into a state of emergency where he’d be able to dissolve parliament and later when the whole nation is immersed in fear, he declares himself as PM.

He creates another sodomy charge and sends his main adversary back into jail. Time to sleep.

0745 13th September 2008

Just woke up. It was the day that months of work and planning was for; the day we would march to the palace. It isn’t a long walk from Hotel Malaya to Annexe. Had a quick breakfast and left around 8.15am. As I turn the corner to Central Market, I am surprised to see police everywhere.

I see Colin negotiating with some police dude which I will later learn is the ACP, which I still don’t know what it stands for, for Dang Wangi Police Department.

I took a few shots before this but I stop as I notice him glaring at me. He means business I believe. I hear Colin mentioning that there is no party politics involved in the march and that it’ll be a peaceful march with music and dance.

I hear the ACP, which I also found out is a Bidayuh, say OK! They shake hands and negotiations seems to have been well. I rush upstairs with a smile on my face. We’re going to march!

0830 13th September 2008

I arrive at the hall the same way I always do; by elevator. It’s only 3 floors up but I somehow don’t like the walk. Everyone is in jovial mood. Some are singing already while others are still preparing their costumes.

Most are taking this opportunity to take photos with each other. It’s so nice to see people who are so different yet be so similiar.

A security meeting takes place. Participants are told that the police has approved our walk. Every cheers. The energy levels are up despite 3 days of intense work in our workshops. Their spirit makes me proud and makes all crap I take seem worthwhile.

We get introduced to a few lawyers from the Bar Council who’ll watch our march today as observers and provide us legal aid should the need arise. It’s good to know that we have friends and supporters everywhere.

0955 13th September 2008

We sing a few songs before we head out. As we start descending the stairs, I rush back up to carry our placards that I asked to the participants to make. I remember watching them make the cards and immediately reserving one that said, “No Justice, No Future”. I even told them to make ‘No’ red so it’ll stand out. I like the colors. I’m hanging on to this one today.

I reach the ground floor and everyone’s waiting for the banners to be distributed. Banie gives a short interview. We organize ourselves and we’re off. Everyone starts clapping and cheering and as we turn the corner, the police show up.

Barely 10meters from where we started, we got blocked off. This was despite telling us earlier in the morning that we could march. I didn’t know this for sure but I found out later that the police hinted that our march was not approved due to the on-going political strife in the country and with Sept 16th coming soon, certain people became panicky. I was so tempted to shout political slogans but I knew better. The police were waiting for any reasons to lock us up. So I kept it all to myself. I wasn’t that hot. I kinda like the morning sun. It helped that I had a big placard to cover myself with but that’s not the point.

I decided to stand at the back of the line rather than the front. The ones at the back looked quite and lackluster by all that was going around; the singing, the police, the crowd gathering on the other side of the road, this hot chick in hot pants. Gosh, she flustered even me.

Time seems to have stopped. I don’t remember what time it is anymore. It seems like forever has passed since we left the comfort of the air conditioned hall. Banie’s speaking on the horn. He’s saying the police has asked us to disperse. I boo as loud as I can. Just like I do when I watch Sarawak play football at the stadium. I’m civil but I lose it when I get exposed to shit. We turn around and start to march back. I move as slowly as I can just to prolong the march.

It’s just a sad that we weren’t allowed to accomplish what we set out to do. It’s sad that the police have absolute power in this country. It’s sad a certain politician is obsessed with becoming PM that his judgements are blurry.

But I do need to thank him because by blocking our march, we gained a lot of media attention. Had we been allowed to walk, we would have been gone in 5 minutes but instead we were there for almost 30 minutes.

But I also need to extend my thanks to the ACP because he helped us by allowing us to at least walk to the pavement of the road where we could be seen. Had he stopped us at the entrance of the building, nobody would have bothered. His quick thinking in helping us and not disobeying his commanding officer is brilliant.

Next year, we’ll make it to the main road!