After last week’s vigil was marred by the FRU incident, all the attention was at the PJ vigil. The turnout however, was one of the biggest for the past six weeks and it was another peaceful vigil without the police and FRU’ presence (those plainclothes are not included).

I arrived early around 7.15pm together with San Jiun. Just 2 people were there and we were all not in our uniform. A reporter from Malaysiakini was there, and he thought it was supposed to start at 7pm, thus his early arrival. Then the people started to arrives, with The Whisperer, followed later by Haris & Zorro. It was 7.40pm, and there were just 15 of us there. My oh my, looks like the people were all chicken out after last weeks incident.

Haris then told us about his conversation with the Selangor MB in the parliament of which MB gave us the permission to use the Civic Centre for our weekly vigil. The MBPJ councilor also has applied for a permit for our gathering inside the car park. Shortly, Richard, the councilor arrives with the permit and he read to us the requirements that come with the permit. There were 12 of them, almost all ridiculous.

Tiada sebarang ceramah atau syarahan berbau politik atau perkauman. No political and racial speeches

Tiada sebarang aktiviti membakar lilin bagi membantah Akta Keselamatan Dalam negeri (ISA). No lighting of candles as an act against ISA

Penganjur mestilah memastikan tiada orang memakai pakaian yang melambangkan sokongan terhadap pemansuhan ISA. Organizer have to make sure NO One wears any clothes that supports the abolishment of ISA

Penganjur dilarang melakukan sebarang aktiviti lain yang melambangkan simpati terhadap tahanan ISA. Organizer ARE NOT ALLOWED to do any activites that shows SYMPATHY towards the ISA detainees

Dilarang penggantungan sebarang kain rentang dan penyebaran risalah menjurus kepada desakan pemansuhan ISA. No banners and leaflets to call for an end to ISA are allowed.

These were among the rules that was included in the permit. To this, Haris refuted, while they gave us the permit to gather, more freedom was taken, including what we can wear, what we can talk. This is all ridiculous. In fact, we don’t even need a permit. Under the Constitution, we have the rights to gather for freedom of expression.

YB Charles Santiago arrives and joins the crowd. Derek Fernandes, explained to us that if we do not want to apply for a permit, then we can move to the site next to the guardhouse because the car park was accessible to the public, so although it was a property under MBPJ, it can still be argued as a public area.

By now, almost a hundred people had gathered and we all move to the site next to the guardhouse. With the guard well inform that only people who comes for our vigil can be allowed to enter, so now with area well close from the public, we will not nedd to apply for a permit.

A lot of people now, and I can’t squeeze in to hear what YB Charles Santiago said but heard him saying the Freedom RUn organize by DAP. In between, our hero has arrive. RPK & Marina has come, and many wellwishers gathered around them.

Haris reminds RPK that we ARE NOT ALLOWED political speech and no anti government talk to which we all laughed. RPK begin his words with WE LOVE PAK LAH cheekily. We love him for what he will do in the next 5 months, what we was supposed to do but didn’t in the last 5 years. We hope Pak Lah will reform the judiciary. He promotes Islam Hadhari, ISA is against islamic teaching, so we hope Pak Lah will abolish the ISA.

After RPK, the floor is open to anyone to share their oponions. Many comes out, and spoke against ISA as well as thanking the crowd for not chicken out against the oppresive government.

Sometime in between, Prof Robert offered some Jambu Air to the crowd. Thanks Prof that’s certainly helps as i’m sweating in the middle of the big crowd!!

YB Teresa Kok also spoke to the crowd, which now total more than 300 people. She talks on the fight against ISA as well as the ridiculous rules that comes with the permit. Teresa recalled her experience after she was released from ISA that the European Diplomats have classified Malaysia as a nation in CRISIS and they send weekly/monthly report on our situation back to their country, and her arrest has definitely alarmed the European countries and this has actually holds them back from investing in Malaysia. so it was not the demonstration that deter foreign investment, but how the government acts against them as well as the used of ISA for political motives that stops them.

Din Merican shows up later. Din again thanks the crowd and told us if anyone was arrested, we will fight this together because what the police do is to separates the people, to scare them, turn them away, but we can fight this with unity, not abandoning anyone.

Then Richard again repeats the rules for those late comers as well as reminding us that we are breaking the rules by lighting our candles. Earlier, someone asked Richard, will the police come after you if we break the rules? To this, Richard answered YES definitely, but i’m acting under the order from the Selangor State Exco, they have made the decision to support this candle vigil. We have 24 Councilors, so everyone of us just need to apply the permit twice a year

After, Sivin Kit who came late also address the crowd. Again he thanks the crowd to be brave enough to stand up for OUR RIGHTS.

Then the young and beauty YB Hannah Yeoh showed up.

I’m young but not beauty. I’m inexperience, i know many here is very experience, so please help me to help you all.

Haris then told us that he have a group of lawyers waiting, in case of emergancy arrest, then there will be assistance. He then reminds us of our rights in case of being arrested.

Then we have another young speaker, Edward Lee.

We cannot run away from politics. Almost what we do is related to politics, we talk about petrol price, that involves politics. We should educate more people make more awareness to the people.

Couldn’t resist to have another shoot with him

End my day at 9.30pm.

Read more : San Jiun, Anilnetto, Haris Ibrahim, Del Capo, Sivin Kit, The Whisperer, Steest,

Videos courtesy of Pat Lu;