14 arrested by police

I got an early phone call to come to the DAP HQ at 7.30am as the police had prevented our workers form putting up canapoy , hot ballon and related items. By the time i arrived at the HQ 5 staffs of the event manager were arrested by the police. From the inquiries we made, it is learnt that the necessary permission was not obtained to put up the Canapoy from the local authority.

But one canopy was already up late Monday and it was not dismantled by the authorities. When the local authority (MBI) officer came at about 10 am and after some discussion the officers agreed we can proceed with our function at least until 12pm.

After the formal speeches we started to leave for the High Court as proceedings were being filed for those village heads who were sacked by the BN government. We were just outside the DAP Headquarters when police officers suddenly arrested 14 of us.

The following news is from on line news: Since 5 May, police have made a total of 146 arrests mainly for what the police say are illegal gatherings related to protests against political developments in Perak. Today’s incident raises the total number of arrests to 165 in just three weeks.

Police arrested 14 people at 11.30am including Ipoh Barat Member of Parliament M Kulasegaran, assemblypersons V Sivakumar (Tronoh-DAP), Leong Mee Meng (Jalong-DAP), Lim Pek Har (Menglembu-DAP), Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar-DAP), Su Keong Seng (Pasir Pinji-DAP), Chang Lih Kang (Teja-PKR), and Chan Ming Kai (Simpang Pulai-PKR), while they were walking towards the Ipoh High Court today. The 14 were later released on police bail.

Earlier at 7am, the police also arrested five employees from an event management company that PR hired to help organise the "Mogok Lapar Bubar DUN" at the Perak DAP headquarters. The arrested were brought to the Ipoh district police station.

The three-day hunger strike was organised by Perak PR to pressure for the dissolution of the Perak assembly.

Hunger Strike Launched

Today the Pakaatan Rakyat component parties announced that a 3 day Hunger Strike would be launched beginning at the DAP Perak HQ and finally ending at the PAS HQ at Taman Istana Ipoh.

We have been planning this strike for some time and finally last night during the Perak Pakaatan Rakyat leaders meeting we decided to commence it this Tuesday and it will end on this Thursday.

Many people for various reasons have in their struggles carried out “hunger strike”. For example the Gandhi had fasted to near death a number of times for the sake of India’s unity. Many more have died due to hunger strike all over the world. One place where there are evidences of death by reason of hunger strike is if one visit sees the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands, India where hundreds have died while fighting against the British. In recent time I get reminded the death of Bobby Sands while agitating against British rule in Northern Ireland.

For us in the present scenario in the Perak political crisis this “hunger strike” is one of the many programes to push for dissolving of the state assembly of Perak. People may ask why only 3 days? But why not?

Yesterday the Court of Appeal decision to allow the appeal by Zambry is not surprising. I differ from the views of the Pakaatan leaders. I am of the view the present constitutional crisis is not for the courts to give a solution. But rather the politicians should get to the people and agitate for a final outcome.

Yesterday’s decision by the court of Appeal may have been a damper. But this is only a small dent. While in the wet market in Tawas today I met many lay people who are dismayed by the courts decision. The encouraging words from all of them are keep on the struggle and you will make it great in the nest elections.

Barisan has won in the courts but the Pakaatan Rakyat will win the hearts and minds of the people. We just lost a battle but end of the day we will win the war!