At arund 11.30pm, I, Dr. Nasir (PSM Chairperson and Kota Damansara State Assemblyman) and A.Sivarajan (PSM national Teasurer and Shah Alam Councillor) walked towards KL Sentral to take a komuter train. Just before we reached the Monorail station - three policemen in uniform spoted us and ran after us. They blocked us and told that we cannot walk on. When Dr. Nasir asked why? He was told that because he was wearing red. All three of us were wearing red. We continued to walk on and push on while the numbers of police doubled and tripled and were trying to stop us from walking towards KL Sentral. Finally near the AirAsia LCCT Bus terminal, more than 15 policemen overpowered us. We could not walk on further and they refused to allow us to walk back. The police waited for higher instruction and after around half an hour, we were told there were orders from the Bricfields OCPD for us to be arrested. Until this point, the police merely said that they just want to check who we are. When pressed further they said we looked like we plan to participate in an illegal assembly and therefore they are preventing us. After a lot or argument and shouting, the police could not find any reason to detain us and they kept looking stupid at the busy bus terminal. Later an officer came and this were followed by another three higher ranking officers. By this time there were around 20 policemen there to arrest 3 of us. Nasir who was pissed off by now challenged them to arrest all the Air Asia staff who were wearing red. We were then told that we are arrested and will be taken to the police station for questioning.
We were taken then to PGA Building in Cheras 7th. Mile in apetrol car escorted by an outsider. To our surprise there were around 100 policemen there and the place was fully equiped to make hundreds of arrest. There were only three of us. Later waiting after a long time, three officers started to document us by using a form which among other things looks like a secret society form where they ask for tatoo, alias names, gang number etc. At this point, the officer by the name of Lim told me that they are arrsting me under Section 27E of the Police Act for attempting to participate in the illegal assemble. I challenged the officer to show me the act because I know no such thing existed in the police Act. He then just said that he is doing his duty.
We only gave minimal cooperation because we know our rights. Most policemen there were pleasant and understood the struggle. many also privately told us that they support what we were doing but they are just carrying out orders.
Later to our surprise, a policemen came and said that they will drop us back. It was now past 1pm. So the three of us were put on a petrol car and we told them to take us to the mosque and later changed our mind and asked them to send us to the Palace as we learned the rally already started. The policemen later assisted by an outrider escorted us in siren to the Palace. There there were around 200 policemen there. We later found out that the MB team has already summited the memo. We then found ourselves in an strange situation as we were the only three red shirts with the seas of policemen around us. Here we were briefly arrested again and told to sit in a van. We protested strongly and later the three of us we taken to the KL Sentral and dropped there. We checked and was told that the crowd is dispearsing. We later heard that many more arrest took place after that.
PSM was one of the party which kept pressing the PR State Goverment to go to the people to defend thier rights. We felt people should be political active and must participate in mass actions. The State Government has a role in empowering the masses and this rally to retake the water which is being privatise is a principled struggle. We will continue to fight on.
We thank everyone for their support. It looks like the struggle of the red shirts is now spreading. It started sometime back in Burma by the monks, then Thailand and now here.
S.Arutchelvan
Secretary general