This blog was set up to celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay in Kuala Lumpur and more importantly, liberty. It was setup to be an issue specific blog, like a special purpose vehicle. Now that the objective has been met, so too the purpose of this blog; I’ve made my point, and proved my conviction by being there. Controversy arose but I achieved my objective and if I may say so, a little bit more.

This blog shall now be frozen until there is such a time for a need to revive it. This includes the comment section.

Words on the streets have it that there would be a candlelight vigil on August 8 2008. I’m unsure of the truth behind it but I hope, they would do it in front of the Chinese embassy peacefully. On August 8, I will celebrate the Olympics and that is not because I support China, but because the Olympics belongs to the whole world. The shame that China committed should not affect the ideals of the Olympics, which China does not believe in.

I enjoyed the debate both with pro-Tibet and pro-Beijing individuals greatly, minus the violence shown by PRC volunteers most definitely. It enriches me as a free individual.

If you like this blog, you may like the __earthinc and Metblogs KL too. The former is slightly more serious than the latter. Till then, thank you for your support.

I just got back from the whole event and it was a scary experience.

I have been to several rallies in the US and in Malaysia but this experience is the scariest of all.

I brought with me a yellow banner with the word “LIBERTY” on it.

After awhile walking, I was harassed by volunteers from PRC at the Dataran Merdeka and the police did nothing to help me. About 20 thugs from the so-called volunteers youth from PRC surrounded me while flying their red flags-as if trying to cover up their action-and pushing me around. While doing so, they told me not to politicize the Olympics but I told them back that the PRC politicized the Olympics back in the 40s up to the 70s. And the PRC is politicizing the Olympics even right now. Just look at the shirt they were wearing! That made them upset.

Another person shouted that this is China’s Olympics and it is not my problem, not Malaysia’s problem. He said this is a PRC event and I was told to leave. I told them back that the Olympics belongs to the whole world and THIS IS MALAYSIA, NOT COMMUNIST CHINA. That got them doubly upset and it became physical. They finally grabbed my banner and ran away. Somebody, I would want to emphasize, CHINESE MALAYSIAN woman, came to my aid to get the banner back from PRC thugs. She too was later harassed. This event caused a frenzy (the thugs from PRC were on something) and they were shouting, according to the Malaysian friend of mine, insults in Chinese. The police had to calm these thugs down.

As for the banner, it was gone.

And I am very unhappy with the Malaysian police at the Dataran Merdeka. She was harassed but she was the one given a warning while the thugs got away freely. Are Malaysian police work to protect us Malaysians or thugs from PRC?

But she turned up okay and we were interviewed by Bloomberg later. There was The Star reporter but like that newly met friend of mine said, it might not worth the while to talk to them. But I, trying to be polite, talked to the The Star reporter anyway.

Things calmed down until the relay started. I shouted FREE TIBET but was again harassed. This time one person from PRC grabbed me from behind. Being defensive, I pushed him back and shouting “TOLONG” to two police officers nearby. When the police came over but the PRC guy just walked off into the crowd. After some explanation, the police however advised me to let it go. It seems, the police feared these thugs.

After the whole hoo-ha, I noticed that some thugs were stalking me. So, I stayed close to several police officers, being friendly with them in hope those stalkers would back off. It took some time before the thugs relented.

I was slightly shaken but hey, it strengthens my belief in liberty. I’ve been so far only simulating liberty in my head but this is it. Coercion was used upon me and that is a cause for greater stress in liberty.

These thugs are not used to free speech and they tried to impose their un-free political culture back in PRC on others. To them, I say, to hell with you. And if this is how you treat differences in opinion, I would be honored to have been “brainwashed” by the “western media”.

I left Dataran Merdaka for KLCC to make another banner. Bought a yellow corru board and a blue marker from Kinokuniya (too bad there was no Carrefour around) and started redoing my banner in front of Kinokuniya. Curious onlookers watched me and one person whispered to me: free Tibet.

I later ended up at Jalan P. Ramlee but it was pouring like cats and dogs. I took some shots of the Torch but that was it. As with my new banner, the police kindly asked me to put it away. I only obliged since they asked of me kindly, but I informed them why I am doing this. They understood, they agreed with me but they just didn’t want any trouble. In the end, we ended up having a long mundane friendly conversation until I decided to leave for home.

To those in Jakarta and Sydney, be extra careful with these PRC thugs. They are rough and they have no respect for free speech. They don’t mind using force. Make sure you go in groups to protect yourself.

I didn’t have the luxury of going in groups. People like me were badly outnumbered. In fact, three Japanese protesting against occupation of Tibet were thrown out of Dataran Merdeka by the thugs. Not by the police but by the thugs. This makes me wonder, is this OUR COUNTRY or a state under communist PRC?

And that is it from Kuala Lumpur for a Free Tibet. Pictures and more reports will be posted at Metblogs KL. After all, this project is an off-shoot at Metblogs KL.

Jakarta, Sydney, over to you.

I was at the KL Towers earlier this morning and I caught up with the relay test run:

I found out from a forestry department personnel that the torch run will cut through the Bukit Nanas Forest Complex. As many as 500 individuals will crowd into the small path that cuts through the minute forest reserve. They will enter the reserve through Convent Bukit Nanas entrance before reaching the KL Tower.

I wanted to shout “FREE TIBET” but I thought I’d want to save my voice for tomorrow.

A number of major roads will be closed tomorrow to accommodate for the run. During the BERSIH rally, people complaint about the rally causing traffic congestion. I wonder if the same voice would be heard when the torch run causes the same congestion tomorrow…

Well, I’m almost ready for tomorrow. I bought my banners and all from, drum roll please, Carrefour.

Yup, they’re French.

The exact route is now known.

The relay starts at 2PM at Dataran Merdeka and ends about 6PM at KLCC.

According to sources, runners will not run the whole stretch. They will run from one place to another and then get on a bus before dropping off further down the route to run again. Basically, run, bus, run, bus…

I plan to be at the Dataran Merdeka at noon and KLCC at 5:30PM.

Judging by the words on the streets, there will be a lot of people: those sympathetic to the PRC, to Tibet, to Falungong, to Darfur, CIA operatives, special branches, Martians… Look out for Chairman Mao!

See you there.

The relay will start at 2pm from Dataran Merdeka and end at KLCC. Among the roads/landmarks the Olympic flame will be passing through are Jalan Mahameru, Stadium Merdeka, Bukit Bintang and Jalan Tun Razak. [Torch run honor. The Star. April 17 2008]

I’ll be at the Dataran Merdeka at noon.

The run will begin at Dataran Merdeka and end at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre. Along the way, it will pass by Wisma OCM, the City Hall building, Parliament House, the National Museum, National Mosque, Old Central Railway Station and the Chinese Assembly Hall. [Police to ensure smooth Olympic torch relay on Monday. The Star. April 18 2008]

For the protest, let’s hang around the two stairwells leading to the LRT tunnel just outside of the Petronas Twin Towers from 9AM to whenever the torch will arrive the Towers.

And heh:

Internal Security and Public Order Director Commissioner Datuk Hussin Ismail said all the necessary precautions have been taken to ensure the 16.5km torch relay ran smoothly.

He said there were indications of people wanting to disrupt the run. [Police to ensure smooth Olympic torch relay on Monday. The Star. April 18 2008]

I don’t know about disrupting. I just want to hold banners.

And the best thing:

“We are in the midst of collecting the necessary information to ascertain whether these people are from outside or within the country. [Police to ensure smooth Olympic torch relay on Monday. The Star. April 18 2008]

(Sarcasm starts) Yes, I work for the CIA. If you are really curious about our facilities at Langley, we have this excellent network of terminals where we play Warcraft whenever we aren’t conspiring against any government. (Sarcasm ends).

We now know that the Torch Relay will end at the Petronas Twin Towers.

The OCM had indicated that the torch would be carried up KL Tower and the relay will come to a finale at the landmark Petronas Twin Towers. Among the torch bearers are former national shuttlers and Olympians like the Sidek brothers comprising Razif, Jailani and Rashid, former swimming queen Nurul Huda Abdullah and one-time national soccer skipper Datuk Soh Chin Aun. [Malaysia wants incident-free Olympics Torch Relay. Bernama via Yahoo! April 10 2008]

I am unsure where to meet but hey, let’s find out the route first.

And I just want to say that I support the Olympics and I disagree with a boycott. The best action is engagement and that is what I am encouraging. Furthermore, I am a big fan of the Olympics and I have no intention to disrupt the Torch Relay. I also make no judgment against participants of the relay.

What I am doing is to celebrate the Torch, and to register my protest peacefully, to let the whole world know that there are those that care about others’ liberty in Malaysia. I will stand by the side and flash banners. That is all.

I urge those that care to join me to protest peacefully. Malaysians have proven that protests can be done peacefully and this is the time to prove it again.

I am having trouble trying to find out the exact route which torch bearers will take on April 21.

Does anybody have any information on the route?

April 21 2008. Remember that date for a free Tibet.

There will be a protest, however small it may be. Join us!

It is a Monday and so, remember to take your annual leave.