Bersih 2.0- to protest or not?
The ballot box, through the people, may do its talking every four years. However, many things happen between elections. Many of them have been threats to democracy and the right to have a fair election. It is the peoples’ action in between the four years that makes sure the country stays its democratic course.
By Resident Wangsa Maju
Bersih 2.0- to go or not to go? That must the question popping in everyone’s minds especially those who have not attended street demos of that kind before. It’s daunting, especially when the Home Minister promises to use the ISA on the Bersih participants caught on 9th July 2011. Not to mention the water canons, smoke-grenades, riot shields and batons awaiting. Some say let the ballot box do the talking, and street protests are not the way.
Wangsa Maju had some fair experience in a street demo back in 2008. The demo was held at the DBKL HQ at Jalan Raja Laut and not in Wangsa Maju though. You see, somewhere in May 2008, after the 14th General Election, the DBKL saw fit to demolish about 8 major hawker areas in Desa Setapak and few other areas in Wangsa Maju. The reason for doing so was well, not a new reason- it was over a permit issue which spanned over more than a decade (I think). Yes, the hawkers, who had been operating a long time there, right on Government ‘land’, did not have the proper permits to build permanent structures. Some of the hawkers alleged that they had tried applying for permits for years but DBKL never approved them. So on the fateful day of 21st May 2008, while the Wangsa Maju MP was still at a Parliament session, the DBKL came with heavyweight equipment and ran the stalls to the ground. The machinery was so heavy that it left potholes on the tarred road of Desa Setapak.
Watch video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J4B3YwRUKI
Such operations may be valid from the Town Council’s viewpoint especially when it is a permit issue, but it causes more anguish when the demolishing of the illegal stalls are race-selected- ie Chinese stalls demolished but not the illegal stalls own by Malays sitting next to the Chinese-owned stalls. Many people were were saying- ‘what the hell is this, DBKL?‘
Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2011/06/bersih-20-to-protest-or-not.html
