Arrested Development: Wong Chin Huat, on sedition charges

Technorati tags: Arrested Development, Wong Chin Huat, Bersih, Sedition, Police, 1BLACK Malaysia, Black Celebration

Hat-tip to Jeff Ooi (via Twitter):

A new 1Malaysia? No more “government knows best”?

In reality, it’s more like the same ‘ol police intimidation bullshit, under the watch of a different bunch of bullshitters… 
(1BLACK Malaysia, May 7th, and more, in the full post)

Earlier yesterday, Wong, a spokesperson for the elections reform movement, Bersih, spoke at the launch of the 1BLACK Malaysia (“Democracy First, Elections Now!”) Campaign for Perak, was launched (via The Nut Graph).

The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) has urged all Malaysians to wear black on 7 May to protest the "ongoing Perak coup" by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

"It will be a peaceful but powerful message of civil disobedience: that we, the people, are the politicians' bosses and no politician defiant of public opinion can escape punishment at the next poll," said Bersih representative Wong Chin Huat at the launch of the 1BLACKMalaysia campaign today.

"Let's paint every state and territory, every town and village, black with our clothes, headbands, hats, turbans, veils, armbands, ribbons and stickers on 7 May," said Wong, noting that the gesture was an act every citizen could participate in.
(source: The Nut Graph)

Wong described the campaign as a “peaceful, yet powerful message of disobedience” (via Malaysiakini). In his statement today, at the campaign launch, Wong Chin Huat elaborated why the campaign:

"We want to let them know that people are the politicians’ bosses and no politician can disregard public opinion and escape punishment in the next general election," he said.

He urged the public to “paint every state, territory, town and village black” with clothes, headbands, hats, turbans, veils, armbands, ribbons and stickers.

"Let us be united in one black colour and let’s show the world that the 1Malaysia under Najib is 1BlackMalaysia living in darkness," he said.
(source: Malaysiakini, subscription required)

But, as has happened time and time again, whenever there is a peaceful demonstration planned, the police is ever ready with their riot squads and water cannons. Making the demonstration anything but peaceful.

And it doesn’t take a psychic to predict the same will be the case in Ipoh, on May 7th. Already the police have issued warnings to not go anywhere near the State Assembly building in Ipoh this coming Thursday.

Walski will definitely be wearing black on Thursday (his favorite color anyway), in support of 1BLACK Malaysia.

In a democracy, elected representatives are elected by the people, to serve the people. Sometimes, it does feel like democracy is only functional in this country whenever there are elections and/or by-elections.

Perhaps it is time for a Black Celebration…