Protest against Guan Eng's acquittal plunges into chaos

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 7 years ago · Published on 7 Sep 2018 10:41PM · 7 Comments

Protesters holding up placards demanding that Attorney-General Tommy Thomas be fired, in Kuala Lumpur tonight. They want Thomas removed from the post for his role in Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng's acquittal. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, September 7, 2018.

A PROTEST against the decision to discharge with a full acquittal Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng of graft charges descended into chaos after police stopped protesters from marching to the Dang Wangi station to lodge a report.

The episode was triggered after police tried taking away a microphone held by Pemantau Malaysia Baru chairman Lokman Noor Adam, who led the rally.

“Who are you to stop Malaysians from lodging a police report? Since when have Malaysians been disallowed to lodge reports?” he told police.

The protesters, numbering some 100, had earlier gathered at the Sogo shopping mall.

They carried placards demanding that Attorney-General Tommy Thomas be given the boot for his role in Lim’s acquittal.

Protesters scuffling with police at a rally against Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng's acquittal. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, September 7, 2018.

On Monday, Lim was discharged with a full acquittal of graft charges in relation to his purchase of a bungalow in Jalan Pinhorn, Penang.

He was charged with corruption in 2016  – when he held the post of Penang chief minister  – for buying the property at below market price from his former landlady, Phang Li Khoon.

Phang, too, was discharged with a full acquittal.

Before the pandemonium, Lokman claimed that the loudspeakers used by buskers nearby were purposely turned up to “sabotage” the protest.

He later told a press conference that he had asked police to deal with the buskers, but officers refused to do so.

Following this, said the Umno leader, he called on the protesters to march to the Dang Wangi station, where he intended to read out the report.

Lokman Noor Adam, who led tonight's rally, accuses police of manhandling protesters. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, September 7, 2018.

He said usually, police would allow a few people to go to the station, but this time, Dang Wangi police chief Shaharudin Abdullah did not let it happen.

He also accused police of manhandling protesters.

“If the standard operating procedure had been followed tonight, there wouldn’t have been scuffles.

“Unfortunately, they (police) were the ones pointing the finger and raising their voice. I’m no angel – what they did raised my temper.

“The police report is now in tatters, torn up by officers themselves. This has never happened before in my life.

“I’ve torn up reports I wanted to lodge before, but for it to be done by police? This is a first.” – September 7, 2018.

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Comments

  • Lokman and his team ?real morons in society.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tam Yan Cheng · Reply

  • Lokman and his team ?real morons in society.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tam Yan Cheng · Reply

  • After learning how to protest violently in Janda Baik schooling , they thought that it is easy to intimidate and force their way thru'. The despair hits them hard. Lokman should be arrested for his nonsensical and aggressive protest. Lock him up in the slammers with hard core convicts and pretty sure he will sure quiet down after many days of learning not to drop the soap.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • I hear that Lokman intends to change his name to Lokapman in anticipation of his inevitable arrest for disturbing the peace with his brainless & virulent brand of identity politics.

    Posted 7 years ago by Antares Maitreya · Reply

  • Arrest them for public disorder.

    Posted 7 years ago by Gerard Lourdesamy · Reply

  • Arrest him, Lock him up, Charge him and Jail him.....

    Posted 7 years ago by Azis Yusoff · Reply

    • Right right!!!!

      Posted 7 years ago by Jacob Chang · Reply