31 detained at Pakatan ceramah in Sg Petani

Police detained 31 ceramah participants in Sungai Petani, Kedah last night, according to state police chief DCP Syed Ismail Syed Azizan.

“They were detained for defying police orders to disperse,” Syed Ismail told Bernama .

It is understood that the detainees were released between 6am to 7am this morning after their statements were recorded.

An estimated 5,000 people had gathered at the Taman Ria Jaya suburb to hear PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim at a pre-election rally for the Bukit Selambau by-election.

The quiet suburb however turned into a scene of chaos after the police fired several dozen rounds of tear gas and sprayed chemical-laced water into the crowd.

Though the police claims that they took action because there was no permit for the gathering, eyewitnesses claim that the crowd was never given any warning to disperse.

Among those arrested were Anwar’s chief of staff Ibrahim Yaacob, Kedah senator Zamri Yusof and Kedah menteri besar’s special officer Ismadi Abd Kadir.

A preview of Najib’s rule

In reaction to this, Anwar said that the incident last night coupled with the banning of PKR organ Suara Keadilan and PAS organ Harakah, was a sign of things to come from soon-to-be prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“It is a sign of how Najib’s administration would look like, which would bring the country instability and an iron-fisted rule,” wrote Anwar on his blog today.

“Without any warning, the police attacked the crowd with tear gas and water cannons. People scrambled to save themselves. But it did not stop repeated attacks which showed even women and children no mercy.

“I was ‘smuggled’ to the election operation centre and hidden among a few other Pakatan Rakyat leaders,” related Anwar of the ordeal.

Anwar said Umno and Barisan Nasional are getting “desperate” in the run-up to the three by-elections and urged Pakatan supporters to remain calm and not react to provocation by their rivals.