BERSIH 4 in Opposition States? What State is Kuala Lumpur?

Nur Jazlan, the newest trumpeter/spinmaster of Najib and UMNO/BN has now taken to "funny" statements and questions, the latest, "Why didn’t opposition states host Bersih 4 rally"

May I ask Nur Jazlan a simple question, what State is Kuala Lumpur? The sneaky BN had resorted to making Kuala Lumpur "Wilayah Persekutuan" (Federal Territory) and removing all State constituencies knowing well they would not be able to win.  But clearly Kuala Lumpur IS Opposition in character because of the 11 elected Members of Parliament, 9 are from Federal Opposition and a mere 2 are from BN. (Members of the Dewan Rakyat, 13th Malaysian Parliament)

And morally speaking, the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur should be elected by these 11 Members of Parliament.

The Church, congregation, sensivities re' politics

2008 and prior years, many Christians were hypersensitive if anything even remotely "political" were to be discussed or events even remotely "political" were allowed to take place in the Church. True or not I do not know, but I heard the pastor of St. Paul's Church in Petlaing Jaya allowed an event where politicians from the ruling Barisan Nasional party and the opposition presented their case so that voters can make informed decisions during elections. It was a bipartisan event with the Church not supporting any side. But I heard the congregation was in uproar to the extend the Pastor had to leave to lead another Church. (The Christian and the General Election: Core Issues)

Fast forward to 2015. 3 Catholic churches opened their gates to welcome anyone needing rest, free food or drink provided by unknown generous donors, portable toilets, showers, medical attention, even prayers if they need it. (BERSIH 4 at St. John's Cathedral)

Prayer Corner at Medical/First Aid center, St. John's Cathedral

And today I read that Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Reverend Julian Leow said Christians had the right to make a stand on matters they were concerned about. "It is their inalienable right as citizens to deliberate, communicate and act on matters of societal concern, be they political, social or economical," said Leow who is also the archbishop of Kuala Lumpur. (Uphold justice, bishops urge Malaysian Catholics in Merdeka Day message)

Najib say will not let nation down? He already has

Malaysia's worst Prime Minister Najib Razak proclaimed in his "Merdeka" speech that he will not let the nation down. How is that even possible? He already has let Malaysia down by his bad governance of the nation. He has spouted great flowery speeches but did the opposite of what he claims he want to do. He promised transparency but delivered the opposite. He promised to fight corruption but .... you can complete the rest yourself.

Contrast between BERSIH 1 and BERSIH 4

The first BERSIH mass protest in 2007 was a huge contrast to what was experienced from the peaceful BERSIH 4 in 2015. Armed police presence including the red helmetted FRU bearing rifles and shields were highly visible, but police presence was hardly felt this round, in any case in areas where I was present.

In Bersih 1, protestors were met with police vans and Black Marias standing ready to send protestors to lockups. In Bersih 4, protestors are offered free drinks and food from food trucks:


In Bersih 1, you will see police armed with revolvers stationed all around Kuala Lumpur, but in Bersih 4, a volunteer holds up the welcoming sign offering free medical attention and free food and drinks at St John's Cathedral:


In Bersih 1, as you turn the corner from Pasar Seni to Lebuh Pasar Besar towards Loke Yew Building, you will be greeted by menacing looking and armed FRU red helmetted riot squad, but in Bersih 4, you have many peaceful protestors holding up posters illustraing the ills of Malaysia, unhindered by the Police:


In Bersih 1, the presence of Malay Muslims donning white kopiah were overwhelming, but in Bersih 4, unfortunately they were not highly visible

Update: Ideally, we Malaysians should not be referring to race at all as good governance and corruption has no skin color. A commentator said BERSIH 1 80% Malays, but BERSIH that 80% attended but % diluted to 30% because of a huge turnout of non-Malays. Likely correct because of the huge increase in participants for BERSIH 4.


In Bersih 1, Dr. Mahathir who was then Prime Minister denigrated Bersih protestors, but in Bersih 4, he with wife participated in the protest although for only a short while:


Update: Unfortunately the peaceful nature of BERSIH 4 disturbed by a news update. Received news that FRU personnels were arresting Bersih 4 T-shirted protestors at Stathuys in Malacca.

BERSIH 4: HSBC and Medan Pasar

BERSIH 2.0 is now well funded. There were some big tents a Medan Pasar with what appears to be like air coolers or air conditioners. Not sure if they were meant for BERSIH 4 or for the national Merdeka activities:

Huge tents at Medan Pasar

Najib Razak in prison cell at HSBC?

Najib Razak in prison cell in front of HSBC

Even more portable toilets at HSBC/Medan Pasar:

Even more portable toilets at HSBC

Blog Shop at BERSIH 4/Medan Pasar?

Blog Shop at Medan Pasar

Fiesta Blog Shop at Medan Pasar

Posters galore at Medan Pasar:

Posters galore at Medan Pasar

Who is that lady with amazing hairstyle together with the chicken?

Amazing hairstyle lady with Chicken at Medan Pasar

BERSIH 4: Jalan Tun Perak near St. John's Cathedral

The scene at Jalan Tun Perak near St. John's Cathedral. Video below filmed as I inch slowly from St. John's Cathedral towards Jalan Tun Perak where Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary was giving a speech (apologies, video taken with handphone):



A volunteer holding up a sign telling demonstrators there are toilets and medical center at St John's Cathedral:

Toilets and Medical at St John's Cathedral

Amidst the bustling crowd, a protestor found time and space to explain what BERSIH 4 is all about to a foreign tourist:

BERSIH 4 at St. John's Catheral

BERSIH 4 is a world of difference from BERSIH 1 in 2007. BERSIH 4 2015, churches and temples were opened to demonstrators as a sanctuary to rest and pray.

At St. John's Cathedral, a first aid center with doctors, nurses, general helpers, stretchers, beds, drips, medicine, beds, oxygen, all ready in case any demonstrator needs medical intervention.

There were many portable toilets in more than 1 locations inside Church. For tired, thirsty and hungry demonstrators, there is drinking water aplenty, free mandarin oranges, free buns, a food truck. See photos below:

Welcome tent with free mandarin oranges and drinking water

Directions to the toilets, first aid and medical center

Plenty portable toilets with a sewage tanker I think

More portable toilets

Even more portable toilets. First aid and medical center entrance at left hand corner

Food truck

Free buns and water

Free coconut buns, kaya buns, black bean buns etc.

Plenty free drinking water

From a WhatsApp forward. How to bypass the block on websites posting updates on BERSIH 4 rally by MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Malay: Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia)

However, I have been able to access bersih.org, so hopefully you would not need the hack described below:

Bersih websites have been blocked. U may unblock them by the following steps:
1) go to https://sitenable.com or google search : sitenable
2) key in http://www.bersih.org or any blocked websites in "Search URL " box. And...BINGO!!!👌

Forward it to all your friends!!
For those who want to access Sarawak Report as well

Test

Testing Blogger app

Johor wants to patent traditional apparel, music, dances, food: Can they?

Johor Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage committee chairman Datuk Zulkunain Kamisan said Yayasan Warisan Johor (YWJ) has been tasked to undertake the patenting procedures of a traditional apparel, a traditional musical group, two cultural dances and a traditional dish as Johor's heritage. But I am not sure that they can.

From what I know about patent, the basic ingredient is novelty. If the subject of the patent are existing apparel, music group, dances, dish (food), they are no longer novel. On this basis, Johor is wasting their time. What they can do I believe is they can try to copyright them. I think Malaysia has a "lesser form" of patent. I think if something cannot be patented, I think they can try to register it as an Utility Innovation. Let's see.

Political funding: BN and opposition positions

UMNO/BN is now hammering on the point that it was the opposition parties that opposed disclosure of their funders. And Najib who is currently under a big dark cloud of suspicions, have come out to proclaim that he is prepared to declare UMNO's funders if the opposition is prepared to do likewise?

Malaysia badly needs transparency regarding political funding, but just why are the opposition parties reluctant to do so? To me, it is clear, it is because of the uneven playing field, the fact that practically every institution of importance (Election Commissions, Registra of Societies, Police, the mainstream media, MACC etc) in Malaysia is under a cloud of suspicions that they are not impartial. Not forgetting power abuses such as punishing opposition funders by withholding license, contracts and business whereas UMNO/BN funders would have no worries in this area.

Take the Election Commission and the blatant case of Najib recorded on video his "I help you, you help me" case in Sibu for example. Did the Election Commission do anything? And the blatant use of government facilities for campaigning during elections. That is clearly wrong but the EC just looked the other way.

Whereas because power is currently in UMNO/BN's hands. Business and individuals will not worry about their funding activities revealed as they would never be punished, on the other hand they probably would be rewarded. Not only that, there is a cap on the amount of funds that can be used in campaigning during elections. UMNO/BN could probably exceed it, even opening I think, and the EC would probably not act. For example, when it was revealed that a huge amount of money was banked into Najib's account which Najib did not deny but only said he did not take money for personal use. He probably was trying to say the money was used for political purposes, but did the EC do anything as very likely, the cap on political funding was breached.