Nuraina A Samad's 3540 Jalan Sudin

I was following twitter all day long just to see what's going on with the Bersih crowd. Not everyone who took part are Pakatan Rakyat supporters although the rally is a Pakatan agenda. Many took part because they support the call for free and clean elections. Well, they were soon to find out that it was an anti-BN rally.

A twitter exchange between 2 people caught my attention. It was between (Indian NGO People's Welfare and Rights Coalition (POWER) chairman) S Gobi Krishnan and @zarakahan.

Zarakahan attended the rally as a citizen of the country who believed that, yes, there is a need for electoral reforms, not as a supporter of Pakatan Rakyat.or because she supported PR.
She was at the rally as a rakyat.

At one point in the twitter exchange, Gobikrishan called her a moron and accused her of "making fun of the rakyat"  because of her tweets. She had asked him when she had made fun of the rakyat.
 I reckon it's because she alluded to the PR hijacking the rally.

She tweeted: "You assume I support BN because I criticize PR. This demonstrates your narrow-minded ideal of dialogue in Msian politics. @sgobikrishnan".

-"You tell me to "Stay Away" from Bersih if I don't support PR. Which demonstrates that you support your party over rakyat. @sgobikrishnan".

Her tweet that probably infuriated Gobikrishnan: "Your political hijacking dilegitimizes the real concerns of the people. BN can just call it a political rally. For shame Pakatan. For shame"


Another to Gobikrishnan: "if you believe your party iis beyond reproach then you have no understanding of what it is you are fighting for".

Another response: :@sgobikrishnan if it slipped your mind, I am part of the rakyat and attended Bersih. Sir".

She asked: "@sgobikrishnan So if I want  clean elections I have to de facto support your party? So you have a monopoly on civl society movements?"

A cheeky one: "Also wasn't your leader someone important in Barisan Nasional?'

That was probably prompted by the Gobikrishan's tweet: "rakyat's suffering will end soon when we kick out BN".

She  was pissed off because the PR rep at the rally points led anti-BN cheers including on Rosmah. That was not what she had expected.


Zarakahan had been happily tweeting about her movements etc. At one of the rally points, a PR leader addressed the crowd and shouted anti-BN slogan,

Here's where she got the drift as she tweeted:"These Pakatan reps are using Bersih to forward their agenda. From mansuh to "Tumbangkan BN". Freaking shameful".


-"Getting out of the crowd to avoid the feeling of being used. seriously Pakatan. Bersih isn't supposed to be about you".


-"Ketua sorak Pakatan kata hancurkan BN. Banyak makcik cuma nak cekak pinggang".


- "Dah tiga checkpoint semua ada ucapan dari Pakatan dan suruh tumbangkan BN. I'm leaving the crowd. I refuse to be used."


- "I will testify that the Pakatan reps in CM called upon the people to "redah apa sahaja yg menghalang kita. That is not advocating peace."

 Bersih rallies had always been about promoting the PR agenda to topple the BN government. How? Portraying the government in bad light.

 Bersih was not overall  a peaceful assembly. How could it be?  When thousands gather at various points and start making their way to one focal point i.e. Dataran Merdeka, how can that be peaceful?

There are genuine supporters of the cause. But you and I know that something  was bound to happen in such a situation.

Sure, like I said, protest and shout. That's within your right(s). But that does not give you the freedom to break the law.

I don't think it's anyone's right to break the law.

And then you push the police into taking action.....

.. and as Russell Peters would say : "somebody's gonna get hurt, real bad"...