recent protests, rallies and demonstrations had been organised by several non-governmental bodies…they are urging for a change?revolution?new government?this is what i think about all these protests are about
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The Bar Council planned to celebrate the human rights day this Sunday in a grand way. There was to be a walk from one place on one side of the Merdaka Square to the other side up to Central Market. Later, there were to be shows and discussion at Central Market. Alas, amid threats from the government, first, the walk was canceled. Later, the activities at Central Market have been moved indoor within the confine of the Bar Council’s wall.

Wait…

What is the Bar Council celebrating again?

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I’m unsure why KL but at The Big Picture:

“Conspiracy theory? Ha! We don’t need to bother fabricating anything — we dump ALL of the data to the web each month, and that site gets less traffic than a dog’s blog in Kuala Lumpur.

We just think you couch potatoes are too lazy, too dumb, too easily distracted by other nonsense to really look at the actual data. Heavy lifting? Actual thinking? Working to figure out what is really going on? Don’t make us laugh!”

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Congratulations to the owner of white-colored Perodua Myvi WQR 631.

You have been spotted throwing trash out of your car while driving along Jalan Tun Razak at the Yap Kwan Seng intersection. Thus, you are the first to be inducted into Metblogs KL’s Hall of Shame!

Again, congratulations!

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This is a painting I did. It is a scene at Taman Tasik Perdana, at 8:30am last weekend.

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I woke to news that tear gas has been fired at crowd again. Unlike the Bersih rally, tear gas seems to have been used more liberally (via):

Hours before the protest organised by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is due to take place, the police have already begun firing tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse crowds in three areas in Kuala Lumpur - Jalan Ampang, the KLCC and Batu Caves.

The police fired a volley of tear gas at Jalan Ampang at about 7.40am today to disperse a large crowd who had gathered there. The area has been declared a curfew zone by the police, who have issued a ‘arrest on sight’ order.

Earlier, the police also used tear gas to disperse a crowd which gathered at Batu Caves and the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) areas.

Despite roadblocks and a tight police cordon to seal off the city, thousands of Indians from all around the country have arrived in Kuala Lumpur since last night.

Some of the protesters were already at Jalan Ampang near Nikko Hotel - a stone throw away from the British High Commission - early this morning.

Despite repeated firing of chemical-laced water against the 2,000-strong crowd, the protestors appeared defiant and refused to budge.

Police presence is heavy and a few arrests have been made. Part of Jalan Ampang is already closed but protesters continue to filter in from all sides. [Tear gas fired at defiant protesters. Malaysiakini. November 25 2007]

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I have a few hundred bucks in a bank account in the US. Way back in a time long forgotten as I was preparing to leave the little town of Ann Arbor for Kuala Lumpur, I had wanted to withdraw all of my cash from that account. I thought, it would be a hassle to operate a bank account from half-way around the world. But that debit card facility was tempting and given such services weren’t freely available yet in Malaysia back then, I decided to leave some cash in the account and use my debit card for my purchases in KL. Unfortunately, there was too much money in the account and I couldn’t use all of that money before the card expired. And so, I have cash stuck. And given the weakening dollar against the Malaysian ringgit, I feel down: as each day passes, that cash, apart from interested earned which is not too high to start anyway, that cash in dollar can buy less stuff in Malaysia. Now, what if I could get $20 from my account right now? What could I buy with it? What would I buy with it?
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On a typical end of working day, i went for a walk in Bangsar Village. And look what I found…
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Late on Saturday, after “leading” — more appropriately guiding, or far more correct, embarrassingly trying to keep up with astonishingly fit girls, ‐ a hike trip up Bukit Kutu close to Fraser’s Hill, I was on my way back to the headquarters of the Malaysian Nature Society on Jalan Kelantan.

On the radio, there was a funky and no doubt 1970s song that has an opening line that sings: S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y.

Nearly 24 hours later, I am hearing: M.O.N.D.A.Y.

I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. Monday sucks.

And I am thinking of running my own business…

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For some reason, an article in The Star today decided to focus on Titiwangsa. In particular, what is going on within UMNO orbit in Titiwangsa. Now, I live in Titiwangsa area and I am a registered voter. Therefore, the article is of some interest to me.

While reading the article with a dreary feeling — given how Titiwangsa is drawn on the map, it is likely that UMNO will win this seat after — I temporarily ignored the tired muscles when I read the last paragraphs. In it:

There is talk that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is eyeing three possible FT constituencies, namely Titiwangsa, Lembah Pantai and Bandar Tun Razak. Suleiman’s supporters are projecting him as the only person who can take on Anwar if he contests in Titiwangsa. [Titiwangsa courted. Joceline Tan. November 18 2007

Sounds interesting, if Anwar Ibrahim is eligible to contest, that is. Anwar Ibrahim will only be eligible to contest in 2008.
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Okay.

I felt bad that KL Metblogs lacks photos of the Bersih rally despite the fact that I was there. Here is the chance for me to redeem myself before everything goes haywire as Sunday succumbs to Monday, when work overwhelms any other interests.

Here at Metblogs, there was a comment that tried to spread disinformation, claiming the rally had been postponed due to the absence of the King. I withheld that comments and only published them after the rally took place, hoping to limit the effect of the disinformation. According to others, the same SMS was widely distributed among the city folks as well as those from outside the city. Several versions are known to exist but most amusing was this: the King sent the SMS himself. LOL!

A number of photos taken from my blog (of before and during the rally) have been posted in Metroblogging Kuala Lumpur group at Flickr. I won’t repost the same photos here and since I managed nearly 300 shots, I plan to share other photos. Well, okay, some of the photos will be repeated due to the fact that it complements the story but I promise, most photos here have not been published elsewhere on the internet.

The first shot describes the scene just outside the Masjid Jamek station. Situation appeared normal…

…and people could be seen walking merrily, minding their own business…

… and it would indeed be normal if it wasn’t for the large riot police presence. Yes, the police knew about the large rally that demanded for free and fair election.
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oh my goodness…just because that a coalition had called upon the slogan of ‘clear and clean’ election…it had made the government feel threatened because the coalition namedly bersih had vowed to attract a 100 thousand strong of people from the public to support the rally…by dressing in yellow t-shirt…as i was walking to work this morning…around 9am because i started work at 10am from masjid jamek…i already saw a few of the police cars and FRU troops and rela members already surrounding places near to merdeka square…and members from the public were already waiting at the masjid jamek lrt station…as early as 9am and the protest will be started only at 3pm…not to surprise that those who attended the rally majority of them are malay…
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Metblogs KL would like to be the first citizens of KL, the city of the 1998 Commonwealth Games, to congratulate Glasgow for winning the right to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

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Roughly 2 months ago, a coalition of organizations working for a fairer electoral system gathered at Batu Burok in Terengganu. It ended bloodily, with several individuals suffering gun shot wound. The police fire live bullets towards the crowd, allegedly the crowd was attacking an plain cloth police. The people on the ground insist that the police officer was instigating the crowd.

Now, the coalition is holding a rally in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, this Saturday, November 10. They expect 100,000 people to show to express their support for a fairer election. I plan to be there to record it for make benefit of the glorious nation of Kazakhstan!

Er, I mean Metblogs KL.

The effort may be hazardous to liberty though: the police has warned that the police will arrest anybody found taking part in the rally. I’d really like to find out how the police would arrest 100,000 people!
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I’m barely surviving.

This Monday is especially cruel. I’m still at the office but I hope to leave soon, even when papers left unfinished, with deadlines looming. I long for my bed, with it, that smelly blanket of mine.

I envy Metblogs of Pakistan. With that emergency, they got their Monday off, though they might be fighting for their life. Still, that is much more exciting.

Sigh…

The upcoming Diwali caught me by surprise. Because of it, one day will be off my calendar, making my week runs havoc. I came back to the office, convinced I could finish my papers if I had four days. Turn out, I have only two days, no thanks to Diwali.

Argh!

I thought after graduation from Michigan, there would be no more papers and no more scary professors. No more impossible deadlines.

Now, here I am, with unbelievable amount of papers with scary bosses with godlike deadlines! I might as well go for my Masters right now!

But hey, maybe I should be thankful regardless. Those auditors don’t seem to ever sleep…

Thank heavens I learned economics, not accounting.

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