Thursday May 9, 2013

GE13: Anwar calls on Malaysians to protest election results

By REGINA LEE, FARIK ZOLKEPLI, YUEN MEIKENG and YVONNE LIM
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called on Malaysians to protest the results of the general election by wearing black.

“I urge all Malaysians to wear black every day from Saturday,” he said in his speech during a rally to protest against the general election results at the Kelana Jaya Stadium last night.

Anwar also questioned the targeting of certain segments of society for the results in GE13.

“The Malays, Chinese and Indians as well as other races want to defend their rights and reject cheating and deception,” he said to tens of thousands of opposition supporters who attended the rally.

He said Pakatan Rakyat leaders would be gathering in Penang on Saturday night for another rally.

Among those present were Bersih co-chair Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang.

Fashion statement: Anwar urging Pakatan supporters to wear black during the rally at the stadium. — AFP

Hundreds later spilled onto the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) in front of the Giant Hypermarket after the rally ended at about 11.30pm to cheer passing cars as well as raise flags.

Coupled with the rally participants who parked their cars illegally on the LDP near the hypermarket, this caused a major traffic gridlock over several kilometres.

There was no police presence to control the situation.

Earlier, motorists expressed frustration at being caught in the jam as people made their way to the stadium.

A part-time kindergarten teacher who was caught in the jam near the Puchong-Sunway toll plaza said she left work at about 7pm and only reached home at 10.30pm.

“At first I thought it was a police roadblock, but I did not see any police, only people in cars and on motorbikes waving flags.

Fully prepared: Pakatan supporters using umbrellas or raincoats at the stadium during a drizzle.

“The elections are over, so why is there a need to demonstrate and cause so much inconvenience to the public?” asked the 56-year-old who only wanted to be identified as Nor.

Meanwhile, social media users used their time spent in the jam to describe the congestion.

“It's so jammed here @ sunway toll that drivers are just chillin outside their cars,” @hellsen tweeted at 10.30pm.

User @EwinEe posted a picture showing those attending the rally parked their vehicles along the North Klang Valley Expressway, causing the three-lane road to be reduced to one lane.

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Thursday May 9, 2013

GE13: Anwar calls on Malaysians to protest election results

By REGINA LEE, FARIK ZOLKEPLI, YUEN MEIKENG and YVONNE LIM newsdesk@thestar.com.my

By REGINA LEE, FARIK ZOLKEPLI, YUEN MEIKENG and YVONNE LIM
newsdesk@thestar.com.my