Auntie Bersih gives vigil-goers words of wisdom
Annie Ooi - a senior citizen who rose to fame following an iconic photograph of her during the Bersih 2.0 rally - was the voice of reason at the solidarity vigil outside the Jinjang police station last night.
Annie Ooi - a senior citizen who rose to fame following an iconic photograph of her during the Bersih 2.0 rally - was the voice of reason at the solidarity vigil outside the Jinjang police station last night.
In a short speech, Ooi, who has since been bestowed the monicker, Auntie Bersih, urged the participants to disperse calmly if the police came to break up the gathering.
"We are not robbers or murderers... If the police come near us, we walk away slowly.
"Don't start running in all direction like cowards," she said to cheers from about 700 people there to show solidarity for three individuals - two opposition politicians and a human rights activist - arrested yesterday.
Ever pragmatic, the retired teacher invited chuckles from the group when she showed them the a bag of supplies she had brought along, in case she too needed to spend the night in the police lock-up.
Among the items in her tote bag was a toothbrush.
"We must be prepared to be locked up if the police really want to arrest all Malaysians," the feisty diminutive woman said to applause.
Spontaneous vigil
The participants had attended a spontaneous vigil in solidarity with Batu MP Tian Chua, human rights activist Haris Ibrahim and PAS member Tamrin Ghafar, all remanded under the Sedition Act 1948.
The group lit candles to show support for the trio who will be held at the lock-up until 11am today when the police are expected to apply to court to extend the remand to facilitate their investigations.
Also addressing the vigil were Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, whose son, Adam Adli, was held at the lock-up until yesterday morning.
He was
charged
with sedition yesterday, after being
held
at the lock-up for five nights, for allegedly uttering seditious words at a public forum.
Yesterday's vigil was the fourth in a row at Jinjang, with vigils held in a show of solidarity for Adam Adli the nights before.
On Wednesday night, 18 people were nabbed for refusing to follow police orders to disperse, but were released several hours later. Some said police assualted them.
However, no arrests were reported last night despite warnings by the police that they would no longer tolerate candlelight vigils.
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