KUALA LUMPUR – “Tired, but still in high spirits” – this was the sentiment of several #Lawan convoy participants after they exited the Brickfields police station yesterday, following more than six hours of gruelling questioning.
The Kuala Lumpur leg of the fleet saw 10 cars drive through the city centre waving black flags as part of the #Lawan demonstration initiated by Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat (SSR).
Similar convoys also took place concurrently in more than 10 locations nationwide.
So far, 23 SSR members have been summoned by police to give their statement over their participation in the convoy yesterday, with more expected to be called in future.
Although no action has yet been taken against the participants, it is understood that those partaking in the demonstration here were questioned separately by officers from both the Dang Wangi and Brickfields police stations.
According to police, this is because the convoy drove through both stations’ districts.
“I understand that they are doing their job,” said Alice, a 33-year-old participant. “But there must be better use of their time.”
She said the officers from both stations asked the same set of questions in separate sessions, something she described as “repetitive and contrived to intimidate”.
She has not been notified of her alleged offence.
They remain defiant
Despite being compounded over a protest last week and investigated yesterday, SSR said it will proceed with its “Keluar dan #Lawan” rally on July 31.
In a joint statement last night, it said: “Unshaken by the intimidation tactics used by the authorities, we call on all Malaysians, especially those in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, to head to Dataran Merdeka on July 31 at 11am.”
The group also reiterated its three demands – Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation; an automatic loan moratorium; and, the upcoming special parliamentary sitting to be more than a “briefing session” for the government.
Though police have warned against attending the protest, those questioned yesterday remained steadfast in their stance that the rally is necessary.
On what she would say to those apprehensive about attending the July 31 rally, Amanda Lee, 25, said: “If we are going to let fear hold us back, we cannot expect change. If we want change, we have to bet on ourselves to make it happen.”
Saya dapat berita 30 orang kena panggil polis sebab memandu dalam konvoi #LAWAN.
— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) July 24, 2021
Mereka hanya memandu kereta dan kibar bendera hitam.
Patuh SOP. Patuh undang-undang jalan raya.
Kenapa nak takut?#LAWAN
Due diligence or plain intimidation?
SSR in a statement said more cars would have participated in the nationwide demonstration convoy on Saturday, were it not for the alleged disruption and intimidation by police.
It also claimed that police had received orders from an unnamed minister, who is “blind and deaf to the suffering of the people”.
In Kuching, the demonstration fizzled out before it could even begin, as the sudden presence of unmarked police cars led to the group calling off the protest.
“We do not want to provoke police or have any confrontation with them,” said an organiser, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman in a Tweet said: “They followed movement control order standard operating procedures, they obeyed traffic laws. Why be afraid?”
This sentiment was echoed by Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who asked: “Why do police resources have to be wasted?” – The Vibes, July 26, 2021
