Advice On Going To BERSIH 3.0

Introduction: “The Bersih 3.0 rally” is also called the “Sit In rally” or “Duduk Bantah” in Malay. It is a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur held on 28 April 2012, as a follow-up to the 2011 Bersih rally 2.0 and the 2007 Bersih rally 1.0, organized by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih).

1. Latest report from BBC (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17878603):

Malaysian riot police have fired tear gas and used water cannon on a crowd of protesters who had converged on the centre of the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Thousands of protesters marched on a central square in the city calling for changes to the electoral system.

They believe the current arrangements will benefit Prime Minister Najib Razak's long-ruling coalition in forthcoming elections.

The rally is one of the largest in the country in the past decade.

2. Latest report from Reuters (see http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/28/us-malaysia-protest-idUSBRE83R01F20120428 )

Malaysian police fired tear gas and water cannon in clashes with thousands of protesters demanding electoral reforms on Saturday, raising the risk of a political backlash that could delay national polls which had been expected as early as June.

The blogger received the following forwarded email from an e-buddy this morning and wishes to share with readers of this blog after obtaining the consent from the sender.

My 2nd son participated in the KL rally

For those going to Bersih 3, here is my advice from my past experience.

Don't be afraid of tear-gas but be prepared for it. Here is how...

My 3rd son participated in the Ipoh rally

1) Bring a small but thick towel (to cover your nose and mouth from tear-gas.)

You can also lift up the upper part of your T-shirt to cover your nose and mouth if you didn't bring a towel.



 2) Wear long pants and long sleeve shirt (to protect your body from tear-gas stings - covered part of your body cannot be affected by the stings, which are like a thousand-needles piercing you.)

3) Bring a small packet of fine salt (salt is an effective antidote against the stings, rub it against any exposed part of your body, like your face and neck. It takes away the stings immediately. The stings are harmless, but for first timer, it can be scary. Don't worry, it will pass after a while.)

4) Don't open your mouth (as the tear-gas can enter your mouth and cause you to cough badly),

5) Don't wait for the gas to reach you. (This one is most important--I repeat: DON'T WAIT FOR THE GAS TO REACH YOU.)

Why? I learn this the hard way. At Bersih 2, I was standing at least some 80 feet away from the nearest gas canisters, on a slope far enough away, videotaping the scene. I thought it will take time for the gas to travel to reach me (few seconds, maybe), judging by the fumes it emits. But wrong. The gas is invisible and reaches you instantly (the smoke you see is not the gas). Therefore, once you see the tear-gas canisters being shot into the air, get your towel out immediately and cover your nose and mouth. Turn your face away from the gas canisters and walk away. No use running because you cannot out run the gas. It reaches you in less than a second after it bursts.

6) Wear jogging shoes, it is most comfortable and sensible.

7) Carry an umbrella if you cannot tahan the sun or rain. (Unless you are at the frontline, it is not necessary to carry a raincoat for protection from water cannons.)

8) Carry a bottle of water and your camera.

9) Don't bring your children (though it may be a good experience for the older children). 

V for Vendetta: "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."

10) Stay away from the frontline and you should be OK.

(Let the frontliners clear the way for you. Stay at the back and walk in a group with your friends and family, and look out for each other.)

11) Lastly, go early. (At least 2 hours earlier. Don't wait till the last moment. You never know the traffic, the delays, the crowd, the road-blocks, the parking, etc.

The last time, the action started at about noon though it was scheduled to start at 2 pm.)

Remember, Ambiga and many others were tear-gassed in a tunnel (enclosed space) and yet they were none the worst for it. The effect of tear-gas is only temporary and will pass very quickly in a few minutes. Majority of the protestors will not even experience the tear-gas as they will be too far away and out of reach. Only the frontliners and photographers, like me, get it.

This time, I think Bersih 3 will not be as bad as Bersih 2. In Bersih 2, people were not even allowed to wear even yellow, they were questioned and arrested on the street in the early morning, KL was completely lockdown (aah, you missed out on this experience of what a lockdown is really like, this in itself is an experience), there was also a crackdown by the police, there were threats from Perkasa and Umno Youths, a court order forbidding a bunch of leaders from entering KL, news of planted parangs at SOGO and Pertama Complex (probably planted by you know who, to scare away protestors), pre-arrests and raids on premises, and so on. This time there is none of those. Hishamuddin even said "Bersih is not a security threat". What a change from last time.

I enjoy the experience of Bersih 2 very much even though I was tear-gassed. The whole experience was enriching. I can now understand better what it is like to be tear-gassed, as well as how crowd behaves, the atmosphere in a crowd, the stresses, the psychology, the suffering, the bravery, etc. Being there is a thousand times better than watching it on TV, where you feel nothing except your own imagination.

Finally, there is the Unit Amal (PAS Security Unity) to protect participants. They are highly disciplined, well mannered and trained volunteers. I was impressed by them. They were there to ensure a peaceful assembly and were the frontliners, to protect the protestors from the police as well as to protect the police from the protestors. (If you want to burn a flag, they will stop you. If you want to throw a stone, they will stop you. If thugs want to attack you, they will stop them. They are the peacekeepers, there to ensure peace. It's great to have them around. They may be in uniform or they may not. In Bersih 1, they were in red. In Bersih 2, they were not because of the police crackdown, but they were there in the crowd nonetheless. Look carefully and you may spot them.)

Have fun.

(Courtesy of forwarded mail from Zou HanMing)