HELLO ZORRO....CAN I HAVE YOUR PARTICULARS?

“Hello Zorro, can I have your particulars”, he asked.

I was waiting outside Suria KLCC for Terrence Tan. It was 5.30 pm and the cops had already apprehended some two dozen protesters but they were hanging around just as I was hanging around. It has been sometime since I lepak and since the police, and Rela(x) were also lepaking, I knew I was in good company. That’s when this guy approached me.

“Who wants to know?” I asked.

Stupid question, on hindsight as he displayed his name tag as EIAP….a Superintendent I later found out from another cop. Earlier at around 5.00pm he was the one who ordered the arrest of Iskandar (Black in Korea) and lady activists Ms Nooraza Othman.

I produced my MyKad. He handed it to an un-uniformed guy who held it for an un-uniformed lady who took down my particulars. I like this type of teamwork for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Supt. Eiap was polite and I reciprocated likewise. I must have looked like me and sounded like me. Betcha, one of the SB guys pointed him out to me but like Haidar said it may be irrelevant to ask. He then asked me what I did? I told him I was beyond hiring age at 68. When he commented that I did not look my age I rewarded him with my secret…..”clean living and a lot of things spiritual few nights a week”. Probably he did not dig that. He returned my MyKad with a “have a nice day” and I was supremely polite with a “you too, and sleep well.”

HOW THE AFTERNOON UNFURLED:

What happened before 3.15pm according to Malaysiakini:

More than two dozen individuals have been detained by the police near the Kuala Lumpur City Centre ahead of a protest against price hikes organised by the Coalition Against Inflation (Protes).

At about 2.45pm, seven PAS’ party volunteers, including one woman, were picked up outside the KLCC Jalan Ampang entrance and brought to the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters for questioning.

Almost simultaneously, near the Ampang Park LRT station, another five women and three men were also detained in connection with the rally.

Malaysiakini reporter Syed Jamal Zahiid was also picked up. He was detained while questioning a police officer over several arrests near the Ampang Park area.

Malaysiakini office has contacted Dang Wangi OCPD Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman to vouch for the identity of Syed Jamal who then assured that the journalist would be released after giving his statement.

At about 3.30pm, about 200 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) supporters marching from Ampang Park towards KLCC were locked in a standoff with the police.

Ten minutes later, at least 12 PSM supporters and leaders were arrested after a minor scuffle with the police.

And this from Malaysia Today:

We're not causing any problems, we're just saying that prices are going up and the poor are hurting,' Socialist Party of Malaysia chairman Mohamed Nasir said before he was taken away by police.

'The leadership is paranoid, there's no democracy,' he said.

The detained journalist was from Malaysiakini, a news website which is one of the few independent media organisations in the country and whose offices were raided by the government in 2003.

'I'm definitely disturbed by this. It shows that police are not respecting the rights of journalists to do their job,' said Malaysiakini's editor in chief Steven Gan.

'They should have released him as soon as he identified himself as a journalist,' he said.

Police refused to say why the reporter, who had been asking an officer for information, was taken away.

3.15pm LOCKED IN.

At 3.10pm the Putra Line pulled into the KLCC. I went thru the tunnel to exit Jalan Ampang. All automatic doors were locked-down except for a small door that was guarded by a lone cop. I asked to move in. “Pergi mana encik”?…”girlfriend tunggu bus-stop,” I fibbed. He let me thru but still we were not allowed onto Jalan Ampang. Locked in again, I asked a security personnel what was happening. His reply: those stupid people demonstrating. I zapped him: Those people are fighting for you too….so you are stupid and a coward. He walked away timidly….yes I was ready for a fight. I hate stupid people like this worm who let others fight their battle.

There must be a way out. A corner outlet had an exit to the front of Avenue. I smiled at a sales personnel and signalled exit. She pointed to her left and that is how I got out.

3.40pm outside Avenue

Media people were clicking away at somebody who was sitting on the Avenue entrance steps. I asked Eli Wong and she said that a cop elbowed the Indian lady and she passed out. Iskandar confirmed this. A paramedic stretcher was made available but the lady and her companion refused to use it. I later asked an Indian what the lady said….loose translation: “Bring me down and offer me government stretcher. I don’t need government help.” Spot on, I say.

3.50pm at Avenue Bus Stop:

A journalist (I was told) Chow was bundled into the police truck because he was wearing a Bersih T-shirt. I was talking to Terrence Tan and I had noticed Chow sitting with his lady companion at the bus-stop. Whilst Chow demanded to know why he had to get into the truck, an elderly malay couple was forced up through the back of the truck. I gave her the V sign and she returned same to me. I then gave her the two thumbs up greeting.

affendy and family

4.15 pm outside Wisma Central:

I met Affendy and his wife and their two “special children”. He related that earlier he was held by a cop. He held on to his child. Photographers clicked away and the cop released him. Why? Because he wore a Bersih T-Shirt. PEOPLE, THE GOVERNMENT ARE NOW AFRAID OF A YELLOW T-SHIRT. I hugged Affendy and patted his wife on the arm and told them to continue to be strong. Affendy asked me: “Zorro, when the hike is announced I will take my family to PM’s house. Will you come with us?” “Of course I will” and offered him another assuring hug. We then exchanged numbers.

PEOPLE, WILL YOU FOLLOW AFFENDY?

at IOI protest

at Summit Mall

4.40PM: outside SuriaKLCC:

The crowd had thinned but the police presence were conspicuously thick. The heli still circled above us. Chances are they think they can spot Nini’s abductors from up there. Burning fuel at our expense. Shouldn’t the few hundred cops be searching for Nini and how many weeks has she been missing. Nah, protesters are easier catch……child abductors are too much trouble. A catch a day keeps the protesters away…..nah, not Malaysian protesters.

Besides the police some twenty Rela men and women were sitting under a tree on the Jalan Ampang road divider, like on a picnic. One particular old guy in shades was moving his head from right to left and from left to right. He was leering at the ladies who came out of SuriaKLCC. One other old guy Tan looked

lost. I could take these two guys down anytime, even if they wore combat boots. But I would not want to meddle with two lady Rela…..their body language give me the butch red-alert. There was nothing ladylike about them. Where did these species come from and how were they recruited? Anyone has the answer?

5.00pm at entrance of SuriaKLCC.

Photographers rushed towards the entrance. The police were surrounding Iskandar and Nooraza Othman. Nooraza was taken in by the police during the Human Rights Walk on 25/10. They were escorted into a waiting truck. I shouted encouragement to Iskandar (Black) and blew Nooraza a kiss and a two thumbs up sign. She did likewise. Another unidentified Malay man with Black threw down some leaflet at us (v below).

Iskandar aka Black in Korea - he is amongst those who send the pillow and bolster to PM,

Fearless activists Nooraza Othman

All this while I noticed a young lady photographer. She was covering media photographers from all angles…..instead of subject. She must be a police photographer, volunteered an AFP photographer who noticed her antics too.

I signaled to her to take a photo of me with my T-shirt which was more provocative than the Bersih T-shirt.(below). She gave me a virginal smile and moved away. Spurned I walked onto the concourse of SuriaKLCC and that is where Superintendent Eiap said, “Hello Zorro.”

Below: the leaflet distributed by Black, Nooraza Othman and another. For this they were arrested?
TODAY I SALUTE ALL THE PATRIOTS ARRESTED BECAUSE THEY CARED ENOUGH. I WAS FOUND UNWORTHY TO BE AMONGST THEM.....ANOTHER TIME....ANOTHER DAY...WHEN I AM MORE WORTHY TO BE COUNTED AMONGST THOSE BRAVE MALAYSIANS.


click on image to enlarge