KUALA LUMPUR – It was a damp and humid Saturday morning following pre-dawn showers lasting almost until noon, and despite a last-minute venue change, hundreds of people still made it a point to descend to Jalan Bangsar to participate in the #TangkapAzamBaki rally.
After being forced to change locations from Sogo Shopping Mall to the Bangsar LRT station following traffic reroutes by the police, the group of protestors appeared amped at just being able to gather to vent their frustrations towards Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
Surrounded by heavy police presence of more than 200 security personnel consisting of senior police officers, enforcers, and traffic cops, the peaceful yet spirited, and seemingly festive gathering went on with little to no hiccups as participants and authorities managed to negotiate terms fitting to both as the rally went on.
Even as many roads leading to Jalan Bangsar were closed off and traffic rerouted, the rally managed to attract a crowd of around 350 participants, whose chants of “Hidup Rakyat” (long live the people) and “Tangkap Azam Baki” (arrest Azam Baki) were consistently yelled at full volume.
These chants were accompanied by the rhythmic thumping of bass drums that hung from the neck of several metronomically inclined protestors, almost guiding the tempo of those marching.
Their volume, however, was never going to match those heard during the mammoth Bersih rallies of the past, but the smaller and evidently passionate crowd was unwavering in their energy, even as police kept a tight watch and control over their movement.
It was also clear that media personnel and policemen deployed to the scene significantly outnumbered actual rally goers.
During the rally, vehicles carrying personnel from the Light Strike Force (LSF) were seen patrolling the area, while water cannon trucks appeared in an attempt to intimidate the crowd.
As the crowd attempted to march towards Brickfields, Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel were seen clad with shields and tear gas guns.
Speaking to The Vibes, Muda’s Tarmizi Anuwar said he was the appointed negotiator to deal with police; protesters had originally intended to march along Jalan Bangsar while heading towards the National Mosque about 5km and a 24-minute walk away.
However, with two crowd control units from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), namely the LSF and FRU who were deployed to the scene, it was obvious from the onset that they would have to comply with the leeway afforded to them or risk stern action.
As a compromise, they marched and paused at several points along a 500-m stretch on Jalan Bangsar, coming to a stop just before the turnoff into Jalan Rakyat.
What stood in their way was a multi-layered police barricade comprising officers, riot control police and assets in full gear.
Plain-clothed policemen donning PDRM reflective vests made up the first layer, followed by LSF personnel with batons and shields in hand in the second, fronting two more rows of fully uniformed and armed enforcers.
Beyond the body barricade stood a row of Black Maria police trucks in formation, as the feared water cannons of the FRU completed the roadblock, prepared for action albeit being some distance away from protestors.
“We wanted to march to the National Mosque, but the police asked for us to remain within Brickfields, so we will just march until we are stopped,” Tarmizi said minutes before encountering the layered roadblock established at the Jalan Rakyat turnoff.
The turnoff was, in the end, their gathering point where speeches by several leaders from the more than 30 supporting groups and associations were delivered for about half an hour, before the crowd retreated, sang Negaraku, and dispersed around 1pm.
The speeches harped on similar points, mostly concerning their calls for Azam’s removal, an overhaul of the MACC, and an end to corrupt practises and corrupt culture.
Soon after they dispersed, traffic into Jalan Bangsar also resumed, after police and organisers worked in tandem to split up pockets of crowds lingering along the usually busy road.
Enforcement overkill
However, the heavy police presence seen yesterday was largely criticised by organisers and politicians alike, many calling it overkill for the scale of the planned rally.
“I think it is just too many men deployed, the police are being too strict, it’s just overkill,” DAP’s Mandeep Singh told The Vibes during the gathering.
When addressing the press on the sidelines of the rally, PKR man and activist Adam Adli also described the overwhelming police presence as a waste of resources, alleging it was all in the name of curbing any pushback against Azam.
We never asked them (police) to close the roads, there have been so many government events in the middle of the city, but the roads were never closed.
“If this is their reaction for a protest against just one civil servant, imagine if it was against an entire institution,” he said, before asserting that the entire MACC line-up and its chief commissioner must be replaced.
Expressing similar sentiments, Undi18 founder Nur Qyira Yusri said she was satisfied with the number of protesters who showed up despite the short notice and change in venue, but also vented her frustration over the heavy police presence.
“The police are overreacting. Today, despite everything happening in a hurry, we had significant numbers,” Qyira told The Vibes after the rally.
Ungrateful protestors
However, police appeared to hold contrasting views with the rally participants, with some even expressing their unhappiness towards the gathering.
When approached, some explained they were unhappy with protesters who were allegedly ungrateful to police for closing off the roads and ensuring their safety.
Speaking to The Vibes, a plainclothes police officer expressed how he and his comrades had been on duty since early yesterday morning and were already feeling tired before the end of the rally.
He reiterated why protestors were complaining about road closures, claiming that the rally could not have taken place safely without the enforced road diversions.
“They were angry with us for closing the roads, but if we do not do that, they cannot safely protest if there are cars on the road.
“We are very tired already because we have been on duty all day,” the officer said.
The officer, who insisted on anonymity, then lamented how the police are the ones who end up having to do all the work whenever the people or politicians decide to demonstrate publicly.
Government or protestors, they are all the same. Every time they do something like this, we (the police) end up having more work,” said the officer.
Following the rally, Brickfields police chief Amihizam Abdul Shukor said police estimates of attendees were around 400, while detailing how 205 policemen and 21 senior officers were deployed to the scene.
Amihizam added police are investigating the rally under provisions of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1998 (Act 342). – The Vibes, January 23, 2022.
Additional reporting by Emmanuel Santa Maria Chin, and Lancelot Theseira
