PKR,PAS Pakatan Rakyat (not UMNO or BN) that forced Bar Forum to end prematurely

There, leading the protestors that caused the Bar Council organized forum on Saturday(9/8/2008) entitled “Conversion to Islam: Art 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution, Subashini; Shamala Revisited” to end prematurely were Pakatan Rakyat leaders, not UMNO ...not the BN. It was led by PKR Kulim-Bandar Baharu parliamentarian Zulkifli Noordin.

A leader of the protesters - PKR Kulim-Bandar Baharu parliamentarian Zulkifli Noordin - declared the abrupt end of the forum as a victory for them. By 10.40am, most of the protesters have dispersed.

...The protesters, many of whom are from Muslim welfare organsation Perkida and Islamic party PAS, shouted, “Hancur Bar Council” (Crush Bar Council), “Hidup Islam” (Long Live Islam) and “Batal forum” (Cancel the forum).They are carrying placards saying “Jangan cabar Islam” (Don’t challenge Islam) and “Bar Council, Don’t play with fire”.

....Speaking to reporters later, Zulkifli said that he had led a delegation of four individuals representing the protesters to state their position with Bar Council president Ambiga Sreevenasan and vice president K Ragunath.- Malaysiakini, 9/8/2008, Protesters stop Bar's 'conversion' forum

Is this an indication of what Malaysians can expect if and when the Pakatan Rakyat comes into power? I remember another PKR leader, one Saiffudin Nasution, was the leader of the mob that broke into and disrupted a forum on East Timor (the APCET Forum) many years ago - and he was in UMNO then.

I looked for a response from the PKR, Pakatan Rakyat and/or its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, and I saw none -- only a pre-forum disruption comment that he preferred if that session was a closed door affair.

Zulkifli Noordin is not an ordinary member of the PKR, he is an elected MP - a chosen candidate of PKR. If not mistaken, he was in the Supreme Council at one time. (Interestingly, I believe Zulkifli Nordin was and may still be a member of the Bar Council today)

I wait to see the PKR and the Pakatan Rakyat response - either there will be an a 'sanction' against the said Zulkifli Noordin - or we can all take it as an endorsement of the actions of Zulkifli Noordin.

Given the presence of PAS leader, Salahuddin Ayub, PAS will also .ahve to respond.

Maybe, we need a response from the Pakatan Rakyat.

Among the protest leaders seen in the crowd are PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub and Zulkifli. - Malaysiakini, 9/8/2008, Protesters stop Bar's 'conversion' forum

Freedom of expression is one thing. That means, it your right to peacefully assemble and express your protest.

But the barging into the forum, and getting it to stop mid-stream is a totally different thing - it is not acceptable - in fact, that becomes an infringement of the fundamental right of expression.

At 9.50am, a handful of protesters, led by Kulim Bandar Baharu parliamentarian Zulkifli Noordin from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), muscled their way to the front of the first-floor auditorium at the Bar Council headquarters in Leboh Pasar Besar here amid an ongoing and lively discussion on the 2006 court case of R. Subashini,... - Malaysian Insider, 9/8/2008 - The day the loudest won the day... or did they?

What makes it worse, was that this was a forum organised by the Bar Council - the same Bar Council, whose lawyers were out there assisting those arrested and detained for illegal assembly including during the Reformasi days, those arrested under the ISA, and ....

What makes it worse, was that this was a balanced forum which saw speakers, who held very different perspectives.

Among the speakers at the forum was syariah lawyer Mohd Haniff Khatri Abdulla. Mohd Haniff represented the Federal Territory’s Islamic Religious Council in the case of R Subashini. K Shanmuga and Ravi Nekoo, who were counsel for Subashini and S Shamala, respectively, also spoke.

...Former Syariah judge and currently the Federal Territory Islamic Department’s syariah prosecutor Dr Mohd Naim Mokhtar pulled out as a panel speaker earlier.- Malaysiakini, 9/8/2008, Protesters stop Bar's 'conversion' forum

And reading the New Straits Times today, frontpage (On Line Edition) - with the heading "Positive Start To Religious Dialogue" , I see something of a different more positive more open stance being taken by the BN government here -- after all, we all know who controls contents of the NST.

Sabariah Abdullah, head of the Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs (ACCIN) said in a text message that the meeting "was a good start to express feelings, anxieties and dissatisfactions from both sides".

"Although we can't find all the solutions to the problems, it was a fruitful event."

To continue with this spirit, she said ACCIN was organising two more dialogues at the end of this month with Hindu Sanggam and a Christian group.

"Everyone engaged in inter-religious dialogues must keep an open mind. Listen to what is said, not who says it.

"We must respect others and at the end of the day, celebrate the agreements and respect the idea of 'agreeing to disagree'. We can be different and yet live in harmony; laws of the country must be respected." - New Straits Times, 10/8/2008 ,Positive start to religious dialogue

If the Zulkifli Nordin, Salahuddin Ayub, PKR , PAS, and the Pakatan Rakyat had different viewpoints on the subject matter of the forum, then they should have participated - not try to prevent even the 'forum' or discussion.

Pay heed to the words " "We must respect others and at the end of the day, celebrate the agreements and respect the idea of 'agreeing to disagree'. We can be different and yet live in harmony..."

The people at GE2008 showed more support to the Pakatan Rakyat because they thought it was better than the BN - but after what happened on Saturday, maybe we should re-evaluate.

Maybe, if there is no clarifying response of the Pakatan Rakyat position, be campaigning to ensure that Anwar Ibrahim does not win in Permatang Pauh - or that even if he wins, he does so with a much lesser majority.

WHY? Because many a times, the only way to communicate our displeasure with a particular political parties and politicians is through the ballot box...

Let us wait for the Pakatan Rakyat - PKR response...