Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) must come up with a creative and effective method of resolving the problems of the people in this modern era. We could see that the Prime Minister’s call was taken to heart following the imaginative ‘symbolic shticks’ by various BN/Umno-linked groups in the past few weeks.

This morning itself there was protest outside Bersih co-chairperson Datuk S Ambiga’s home where a group of retired armed forces personnel held ‘butt exercises’ outside Bersih co-chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan’s home. Other ‘stunts’ include last weekend’s staging of a “funeral rites” for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng by Perkasa, yesterday’s anti-Azmin Ali ‘Duduk dan Jilat’ (sit and lick) gimmick by an NGO and the infamous ‘burger protest’ held by a petty traders group outside Ambiga’s home last week.


Morning Moon
   
May 15: A group of retired armed forces personnel held ‘butt exercises’ outside the home of Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan in Bukit Damansara. The participants, who claimed to be members of the Malay Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVTM), said the event was held to protest against Ambiga for being an “enemy of the nation who had smeared the country’s name”.

Ambiga, who was at home, came out to receive a placard from the group.


Sit & Lick Gimmick

May 14: A group of some 20 NGO activists gave away more than 200 sticks of ice cream at Dataran Shah Alam. The chairperson of the ‘Kempen Aiskrim 1Malaysia’, Rafi Awang Kecil, denied that the campaign was to deride PKR deputy president Azmin Ali who was recently implicated in a toilet tryst video – an alleged scandal which have earned him the nickname ‘ice cream’. Instead, Rafi claimed that the group only intended to give out free ice creams to be enjoyed “in a public space and not in a toilet.”

“After you’ve finished eating make sure you go back to your home,” Rafi joked.

Rafi also said that the group will be doing their second ‘ice cream demo’ at Bukit Antarabangsa – in which Azmin is the state assemblyman.

Pix: MalaysiakiniMorbid Approach

May 10: Thirty Perkasa members staged a “funeral rites” for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at his residence in Jalan Pinhorn. The group led placed a garlanded portrait of Lim and pasted his posters with swastika logos on the gate of the residence during the demonstration held in the morning.

Previously there was another group that had carried out a ‘coffin protest’ against Lim’s political secretary and Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik. The group alleged that Lim had incited racial tension among the Malays and Indians, in reference to Lim’s remarks in the State Legislative Assembly early this week that “I feel all Hindu temples are in danger if Umno returns to power.”

Penang Perkasa chief Mohd Rizuad said the funeral rites were Perkasa’s way of telling people that Lim was dead for failing to comply with the organization’s previous seven-point memorandum. Lim meanwhile told reporters that he was upset that the protesters took their demonstration to his house without and care or consideration for the safety of his family.

“I am afraid of their violent attitude,” said a visibly upset Lim.

Asked if he would meet with them, he said: “Who wants to meet with `samseng’ (gangsters)? When you want to talk civilly with them, they rather yell and utter vulgar words.

Lim also said that action should be taken for littering. Meanwhile, Penang Barisan Nasional yesterday condemned Perkasa for its action. State BN chief Teng Chang Yeow said it was “a foolish act or a stupid act”.

“We condemn Perkasa, we condemn it,” he told reporters after a BN meeting in Penang

‘Patty’ Traders’ Burger Protest

May 10: A group of petty traders set up a burger stall outside Ambiga’s house to protest against last month’s Bersih 3.0 rally. The symbolic move was the second by the group, Ikhlas, since the week before, where 30 traders claimed that they suffered more than RM200,000 in losses because of the April 28 rally.

"If we cannot do business in KL, then we will do business here," said Ikhlas chairperson Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah when asked for his comments on the gimmick.

 Incidentally, Ambiga is said to be a vegetarian.


Pix: MalaysiakiniWhite Gloves

March 13: A coalition of women’s rights activists gave out white gloves to members of Parliament asking for clean, corruption-free government. The delegation had made its way to Parliament to muster support for its rally planned for the weekend.

The activists, however, were outraged by a sexist remark by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the gloves they were giving out. One of the activists had overheard Zahid’s comment and posted it on the official Twitter webpage of Wanita Suara Perubahan (Wanita Super MY), the coalition which is organizing the campaign.

"Sexist!" commented Women's Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah, who had been in the delegation to Parliament House, through her Twitter account.

Apparently, Zahid said, "Pakai sarung tangan pegang isteri nanti tak terasa [Can't feel the wife if (I) touch her with gloves]," when they gave him a pair of white gloves.


Shoe-Throwing Imam

Feb 22: Former imam Hoslan Husin Hoslan hurling his shoes at the Federal Court bench presided by Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin and Federal Court judges Datuk Suriyadi Halim Omar and Datin Paduka Zaleha Zahari.

On April 16, the Federal Court upheld the one-year jail sentence on 46-year-old Hoslan who was found guilty of contempt of court for throwing his shoe at a Federal Court bench. He is serving his term at the Kajang Prison since March 8.


Crap Cake

Dec 9, 2011: Lim Guan Eng’s most vocal critic Mohamed Ghani Abdul Jiman left a surprise "birthday" gift of five cakes at the Penang chief minister’s office on his 51st birthday. The only thing was that four of the cakes were in the shape and color of human excreta and the other a black number '4' design, to signify four years of DAP-led rule in Penang.

Ghani, who is Komtar Traders Association vice-president, had claimed that DAP members and supporters gave him the idea to present the cakes to Lim, and they fully sponsored the "poop" shaped ones. He also suggested that Lim lodge a police report if he wanted to know who the DAP members behind the cake idea were.

"They are the ones who say the DAP has ruled Penang like shit," Ghani told reporters outside the state government office on Komtar's 3rd floor.


Khir Toyo’s Sweeping Move

Nov 12, 2007: Former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Khir Toyo drew flak after he presented a “broom award” on Monday to the Hulu Selangor district council and land office for their failure to collect assessment for 2006 above the stipulated 50% mark. Khir was rebuked by several quarters, including union representatives and MPs, over the so-called awards who advised Khir to consider other ways to motivate local authorities. Standing firm on his broom award, he told a gathering that cleanliness was next to godliness.

 “We must sweep our hearts first to perform well, so that it becomes second nature, like our trust in God,” said Khir.

Citing an example from South Korea, he said in that country those who failed to perform would be given a pair of shoes on stage to be hung around their necks.


Keris Kissing

2005 & 2006 Umno Youth Assemblies: Tradition dictated that in the past, the Umno Youth Chief, started the General Assembly by unsheathing the Keris, kissing its blade and then sheath it again. One year after another in 2005 and 2006, the then-chief of the Youth wing Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussien did just that and this had offended many non-Malays.

In the 2006 assembly, there was uneasiness among non-Malays when some speakers made racially slanted remarks about using the keris. Things were made worse as the proceedings of the assembly were telecast live. Some critics have alleged that Hishammuddin’s unsheathing of the keris was made in the context of extremist, incendiary and seditious utterances.

Hishammuddin, however, expressed regret over his keris stunts. On April 6, 2008 he admitted that his raising of the keris was among the causes of the Barisan Nasional’s poor performance in the general election. He also apologized to all Malaysians for his action.

“If it affected anyone, I cannot run away from the reality of it. I apologize to the non-Malays and the Malays,” Hishammuddin said, describing his faux pas as a “sad lesson”.


Where Do You Draw the Line?

There have been other ‘performance art’ acts from the past, some cruel, while others plain distasteful (and won’t be mentioned). Understandably, those who are at the receiving end of these protests like Lim Guan Eng and Ambiga have complained about the invasion of privacy and intimidation during these demonstrations. However, Deputy IGP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had said that the police will not act against Ikhlas, which now plans to do another burger protest on May 24 with 500 traders. Khalid said under the recently-enforced Peaceful Assembly Act all parties should be allowed to conduct peaceful gatherings.

“They didn’t enter her (Ambiga's) house, they were in a public space,” Khalid said.

The argument is, despite the Peaceful Assembly Act, the Bersih rallies have also invaded the privacy of business establishments in the vicinity where the rallies had been held. So, the real issue now is: where do you draw the line?

- mD