Hishamuddin Rais says the incident has educated the media on what it feels like to be a protester on the receiving end.
KUALA
LUMPUR: The violence perpetrated on journalists during the Bersih 3.0
rally on Saturday drew widespread condemnation. But one person is glad
that the media was left black and blue.
And ironically, this was Bersih steering committee member Hishamuddin Rais.
Speaking at a forum last night, he said now the media had tasted what protesters had to deal with in the past.
“Previosuly when protesters got whacked, some journalists didn’t
bother. A few even said the protesters deserved it for breaking the law.
“Now you know how it feels,” he said, drawing applause and cheers from the audience.
Hishamuddin also said that Saturday’s incident had educated
journalists on the political scenario in the country and likened the
lesson to obtaining a degree.
“It’s a good thing. Now let’s move forward for post-graduate studies,” he quipped.
Hishamuddin said that it was naïve for anyone to expect that the police would allow the Bersih 3.0 rally to go unchallenged.
“I’ve been in rallies since the 70s. Don’t dream that we will have a
peaceful rally with a repressive government lording over us. We are not
living in London or Paris,” he added.
Echoing a similar stand, Lawyers for Liberty adviser Latheefa Koya
said until now, it was protesters who were at the receiving end while
the media played the role of observer.
“Now you [the media] can ask yourself after being tear-gassed,” she added.
On Saturday, tens of thousand of people headed towards Dataran
Merdeka under the Bersih 3.0 banner to demand for free and fair
elections.
However, the peaceful assembly turned ugly when the police fired tear
gas and water cannons after the protesters breached the barricades at
the historic square.
The forum, entitled “Post Bersih 3.0: Police Brutality and Media Blackout”, was organised by Akademi Pak Sako.
It was also attended by Malaysiakini editor Fathi Aris Omar, students activist Haziq Abdul Aziz and lawyer Haijan Omar.
The event, which was held at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, was attended by some 100 people.
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