I think no where in the world have we come across such overkill in trying to prevent a peaceful demonstration. For whatever reasons, the preventive measures had caused unnecessary inconvenience to the public and national security as a reason seems more like an excuse.
The threats come from organizations closely related to the ruling party. It would have been much easier had the PM and Home Minister acted decisively to control their own people, instead of allowing them to work up the tension with impunity.
Bersih has been made illegal and all its leaders made out of bounds to KL, with the actual site still uncertain because of contradictory statements. Vehicles are being turned away from getting into KL. The top leaders of Pakatan Rakyat who were named among the 91 (actually 90) have confirmed they will go despite the ban, inviting arrests. The latest is even more insane: the police is actually checking hotels to find their 'outlaws' from out of town. Who said the police are under-staffed? When it comes to controlling any opposition to the government, the police and other government agencies are most efficient. It is now a standard joke that the PDRM (Malaysian Royal Police) acts like PRDM or Polis Raja Di Malaysia (Police is king in Malaysia). Even our Prime Minister has said that it is up to the police to deal with the situation while he deals with foreign relations. His wife acted for him when he had chicken pox and there were foreign visiting dignitaries. Now, with our own citizens coming from outside KL to make a statement, he 'chickens' out.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Today has a page with links to foreign news reports on what is happening here today...
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