Bersih 3.0 - For the people, for the country

In the fight for a fair and just electoral system, Bersih 3.0 was set to take place on the 28th April 2012 at the Dataran Merdeka - a significant landmark which symbolized the independence of Malaysia decades ago.

Me and friends checked out from our hotel early and headed towards the Dataran around 10am, but a police blockade denied us the journey just before Sogo. We walked in silence along with steady streams of rally goers coming from all directions, swept past alleys, up and down the sidewalks, avoiding numerous blockades set to deter the supporters. Most of the people were without words, wearing straight faces which donned the morning with an utter sense of seriousness. Liveliness filled the air as we inched closer to Dataran. Businesses were getting ready for a booming Saturday, hungry  Bersih supporters as well as policemen chatted heartily over breakfast. Some rally goers were being denied passages to the Dataran, but we slipped past quietly since our yellow tees were still in our backpacks.

We sat quietly observing the human traffic after changing into color-of-the-day upon reaching the Bar Council building. There were people from all walks of life, of different religions, age, skin colors and even nationality. Nobody was hostile to anyone, everyone were there to get a share of history. Cheerful yet with a purpose, that is how I would describe the crowd. They arrived in groups, in wacky outfits, colorful shoes and attires, with their phones and cameras, one even brought along a yellow Angry Bird balloon. The place was roaring with chanting of “hidup rakyat”, “duduk duduk” and “duduk bantah”. A Malay guy who sat next to me asked to have his picture taken with me, a picture which I will never see.

We moved closer to the center entrance of Dataran approaching 1pm. By that time our phones were all out of service, so staring at the watch was the best time-passing activity we could think of. The crowd sang a Sudirman song couple of times (I am ashamed that I only knew the melody!). followed by the national anthem. Spirits soared higher by the minute as more police officers arrived, and to a new height when the opposition leaders arrived one by one and started giving speeches. It was minutes to 2pm when we decided to answer the call of nature, out of the protective shade of LRT tracks above and off we strode to the washroom at Old Town White Coffee just blocks away. Hungry tummies called for a quick bite at Subway next door, we practically swallowed the sandwich since we did not want to miss out anything. Many of the yellows were doing the same thing as we headed towards the Dataran once more, and then it happened. Just ahead I saw water canon in action followed by clouds of smoke, people started running in our direction. Faces red from chemical burns, teary eyes, violent coughing and involuntary vomiting. The peaceful sit-in had gone terribly wrong. We covered our faces with towels but the acrid smell of tear gas had already filled the air. A friend immediately showed familiar symptoms I have seen just seconds before, surprisingly I only felt a slight burning sensation on my cheeks and nothing else. People were angry with the attacks, “polis kejam” echoed through the concrete forest. 

Hours which followed were fast moving, with lots of possible scenarios to evaluate in a nick of time. In order to not limit our escapes, we had to watch the routes we took and the possibilities of getting trapped in confined spaces incase of being attacked with tear gas. We shared water supply with strangers, took pinches of salt, and had short exchange of words with people who were disappointed with the police and FRU. Lucky enough there was a water hose for gardening purposes in front of a bank, those suffering from tear gas irritation managed to do some quick wash offs, we wet our towels to better counter the chemicals lingering in the air. Every time the police stopped launching out canisters of tear gases, which is normally less than a few minutes, the crowd clapped and regained their positions. The cat and mouse game went on, with the number of launches increasing. Sometimes the wind helped, others it sent people running away, but surprisingly many were calm enough to walk instead, while reminding those who panicked to slow down.

As the enforcers marched further up the road, we moved to the next and that was where the car crash took place. The first police car raced down the street with protestors throwing water bottles at it, the windows were smashed while the windscreen was still intact. The second was not that fortunate as the windscreen cracked and I saw the driver slouched forward with both hands on the steering trying to get out alive. Barely few feet away from where I stood, it went onto the pavement and crashed. We did not stay too long as we were pretty sure the troop will be arriving shortly. Why the hell would 2 cars speed down a crowded street where they might hit a civilian accidentally? Did they do something to piss of those further up, which resulted in the attacks? With our feet shuffling non-stop and a high level of alertness, we managed to stay out of trouble or get injured.

So why did I join Bersih 3.0 you may ask. The answer is simple. It is the right thing to do for the people, and the country in the name of justice and human rights. We walked with a sense of pride, we had a purpose.

For those who blamed us for causing the lockdown of Kuala Lumpur and disrupting your peaceful Saturday outings in town, I hereby convey my apologies. However please do remember that we are fighting for you, your family, your children and theirs, while you sat comfortably at home occupied with the blame game. Many before us have sacrificed themselves for the freedom you enjoy today, or whatever that is left of it. You have the right to be ignorant and selfish, but please let us who care do our part as Malaysians, as humans, do not condemn us.

Even silence has an end.