Before I begin elaborating on my adventurous Saturday, I would like to state how dumbfounded I felt at the reaction of the government towards the entire rally and the state of how they responded towards the international media which covered the news is shameful and depressing. How angry I was at the amount which was censored at the national media level and how biased, and fake the reporting on the entire rally was. The police and the ministers of our country resorted to lies and baseless facts when asked to comment on the rally. I am embarrassed, and sickened, but somewhat not surprised. Deep inside, I know that was the reason in which there was a rally in the first place. A reason in which influenced my decision to participate in the rally in the first place.
***
That Saturday morning, I woke up the earliest in days after I spent much time rotting at home thanks to the first week of my holidays. People who know my sleeping habits would know a rocket blast would probably still not wake me up and the fact that I actually woke up in time on that Saturday, I believe, shows the commitment I had towards the entire event.
I decided not to wear yellow after reading several precautionary measures I received from some friends before, and that decision, you would see, paid off in the end.
I knew what was coming. I knew there were gonna be blockages. I knew there was gonna be police, but I was never ready for what I eventually saw on that day.
As I passed the toll house separating Shah Alam from Subang Jaya and beyond, the traffic came to a standstill.
A roadblock.
So soon.
I drove passed the police with no signs of fear whatsoever etched on my face but only a hint of anger I felt towards the incompetent and sad state of the leaders of our country who ordered such acts - the anger which I had to direct towards the 'innocent' policeman, which I took as somesort of a medium to channel my negative energies, but I shouldn't have really.. as he was just doing his duty.. but nvm.
I knew the roadblock was meant to arrest ppl who was attending the rally because the few which got stopped, I managed to peek, were middle-aged men wearing yellow t-shirts. And I can assure you that was not a simple case of coincidence.
If the roadblock at the Shah Alam exit was not enough, wait till you reach the train stations.
There was a horde of police stationed at the Subang Jaya KTM station who was also catching suspected protesters who was going to KL via the trains. There was a police truck, and some stationed at the ticket machines to check on people who were boarding the trains. I obviously did not get caught. Non-yellow shirt and innocent-looking-baby face paid off there.
If that was not intimidating enough, the train I took was crowded. To the brim. Not like that is the fault of the anyone but it's enough to make anyone turn back.
I had to stand still on my spot and not move an inch. Literally. The only thing I could hold to keep my balance was a tiny portion of a pole on the train. And the worst is yet to come. A somewhat sweaty man boarded the train at the next stop. And he, too, had to keep his balance. So he raised one of his hands to a higher section of the same pole I was holding, leaving his lower arms totally directed right in front of my face. Great aim, perfect height. Best-alignment-ever. You cannot get more accurate and precise than that. I bared. During that moment in that crowded train, I once again thought of the sacrifice I was making just to attend the people's peaceful assembly. Oh how much I was sacrificing.
The train reached the KL Central station 30 mins later. I managed to arrive right on time and met TK and his friend there.
Surprise, surprise more policemen but the sight of the men-in-blue has become such a common occurrence that they do not scare me anymore.
We boarded another train to Masjid Jamek(how lucky), and as we arrived, we were greeted by truckloads and truckloads of more of the men-in-blue..
The sight of a police patrol car/truck/bike passing by every 15 seconds was the last straw for me.
I became furious at that point.
truck #1
chemical water-cannon truck #2
Why were they doing so much. Just to stop the people from peacefully practicing their democratic rights who only wanted to fight for a fair and free election.
Why were they committing so much. To rob the basic democratic rights of the people, when they were never as committed when solving crimes and putting criminals behind bars.
FRU: sila bersurai
On a brighter note, the police were not the only thing we bumped into in the areas around the station. There were obvious people who like us, were awaiting any signals from anyone to begin the march to the palace. There were people in red uniforms, the ppl from Unit Amal, who did a great job in guiding the growing crowd during that time, and the rest of the day.
Everyone silently acknowledging the presence of each other. Everyone watching silently the antics of the police and the FRUs who started blocking roads and sending in big ass trucks occupying the road in front of where my friends and I were waiting.
I felt as if the stage was set at that very moment. The citizens versus the police. The people versus the entire government. Only time would tell the outcome of it all.
There was a growing sense of anticipation and excitement at every passing minute.
It was then, after a reasonably long time of waiting, my friends and I heard a group of people chanting and shouting something which was not clearly audible. Many onlookers like ourselves rushed to the sound of the chants to see what was happening. Has it begun? Is this the start of it all? What is going to happen? How will it all end?
A huge group gathered at a point not relatively far from where my friends and I were standing. We thought of observing the situation first before putting ourselves fully in it.
Not long later, the red police trucks started moving towards the direction of the reasonably large gathered group of people.
A few words of warning, and the next thing I know,
there were incomprehensible shouts of protests and the sight of the gathered group of people dispersing into different directions.
The moment I noticed water cannons and tear gas shells used by the authorities upon their own citizens, my patriotism became second to none.
As the first blast was shot, the sky instantly turned eerily dark, the rain suddenly poured heavily..
More in Part 2.
-alexeO-
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