Dear PM,

I'm responding to your comments about the the anti-ISA protest over the weekend. Mr PM, we don't want stadiums to protest in. In fact, you come off as arrogant and insensitive to the wishes of the people, whom you claim to put first.

Saying things like: "We can provide them stadiums where they can shout themselves hoarse till dawn, but don't cause disturbance in the streets." (Malaysiakini - " Sivarasa to be Charged Tomorrow "), reveal your contempt and arrogance.

Your stadium suggestion may be convenient to stiffle the voices of the people so that fewer people will be aware of the issues and fewer still will take notice. The troubled screams of the people for a better and more just society can be spin-doctored to few disgruntled citizens.

The reason for marching in the streets is to draw attention to an issue and to express disappointment and frustration with inaction of the authorities within a recognised democratic process.

If we just go to the stadium, it's so much easier for you and your government to ignore the wishes of the people. No inconvenience to anyone else and no embarrassment to the government, right?

Wrong! In fact, what we saw was mostly brought about by police antagonism. The traffic jams, damage to property, arrests, injuries and emotional trauma was largely caused by the police.

If instead the police had worked with the organisers to plan an orderly route and a reasonable amount of time to march to the desired destination, and provided protection, there would be little problem.

Most of the damages and inconveniences you are highlighted wouldn't have happened. In fact, just enough attention would have been given to the wishes of the people, and maybe 1-3 hours of inconvenience would have been felt as far as parking and use of the streets are concerned.

Yeo Yang Poh, in the article " Why do Malaysians march? " ( The Sun) has raised another very good reason as to why people have taken to the streets instead of gathering in stadiums or inside behind closed doors.

Because in Yeo's words: "...the nice ways have been tried ad nauseam for decades, but have fallen on deaf ears. Because none of the major recommendations of Suhakam (including on peaceful assembly), or of the commissions of inquiry, has been implemented.

"Because the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) is not in sight, while corruption and insecurity live in every neighborhood; and (despite reasoned views expressed ever so nicely in opposition) Rela (people's volunteer corps) is being brought in to make matters evern worse."

Yes, Mr PM, we've tried to be nice, we've tried not to disrupt, but you are still not listening! You keep saying you are going to amend the ISA. But we don't want you to amend it. It's obvious from the turnout of the demonstration that large numbers of people don't want amendments; they want the whole thing abolished.

We don't want half measures. We want full and complete justice with good governance. We don't want crumbs - 20% discount at tolls, a token relaxation of the rules on investment and company ownership, 100 shares for fresh graduates, etc.

This is not substantial reform. Please tackle the real problems - the justice system, the police force, crime, inefficient systems that drive up the price of everything, public transport, the hijacking of Perak's state government, a controlled press with no freedom, the PKFZ scandal, poverty in our resource-rich states, etc, etc, etc.

What we saw over the weekend in the streets of KL really affirms the idea that liberty, good governance and justice have to be fought for to be gained. Because if we don't fight for it in ways that cannot be easily hidden, in ways that are not convenient to ignore, we will be ignored and nothing will change.

Yeo's article ended with the words sung by protesters during the American civil rights movement. I find that they sum up so well, why stadiums and half-measured reforms won't do. I will post them here so that readers who didn't see the article can have the benefit of its inspiration and message:

It isn't nice to block the doorway

It isn't nice to go to jail

There are nicer ways to do it

but the nice ways have all failed

It isn't nice, It isn't nice

You've told us once, you've told us twice

But if that's freedom's price

We don't mind...