April 28, 2012 , as a photojournalist myself from Newskaki Dot Com, I’m the only photojournalist in BERSIH 3.0 rally represent the company , which is my day to go to the war zone again , without protection but with a small plastic bag. All batteries, waters, and other gears to be ready for the war, and head out as early as 7.30am on that time with LRT. What I found luckily is that the day that LRT is still available to most of the public to land on Masjid Jamek area.

Landing on the BERSIH 3.0 rally is another proudest activities for me as I could still able to snap some nice pictures on the conflict zone to tell the story, to create some value and awareness, which for me this is the third time in the conflict demonstration on the street since BERSIH 1.0 back to few years ago where the citizens starts to rise up for the justice of democracy.

Morning 8.10am, I landed on Masjid Jamek, have a nice breakfast before kick start the action, at the same time, there are some briefing , some cheering moment on the street of Masjid Jamek , which sounded “HIDUP ! HIDUP ! HIDUP RAKYAT !”. Quite a nice sound to be hear in loud, also there are a lot of peoples already gathered on the street since the day before BERSIH 3.0 Rally falls. Polices also gathered their men line up and prepared on their position everywhere too with load of trucks and van. Meet more friends around there who participated the BERSIH rally and it’s quite happy to see their faces again who are same people that fought in the BERSIH 2.0 rally war zone which is considered to be the worst ever nightmare in history of Malaysia.

Around 10am, passed through some street from Masjid Jamek and head to Petaling Street where most of the Chinese are there gathered for the street rally and this is the most amount of the Chinese participants ever in the history of the demonstration in Malaysia. Guarded by police traffic on the end of the street, many Chinese have some fun and cheering for the BERSIH Rally and anti-Lynas slogans. Head to the Jalan Sultan, what I witnessed, is an video recording singing session which sang about the beauty of Jalan Sultan, the will of protect Jalan Sultan in the sound of “Rasa Sayang, Jalan Sultan eh…..”. Around hundred of peoples gathered together and sang the song in a group form while most of the hobbyist photographers, photojournalists, citizens took the opportunities to leave a memory in this BERSIH HIJAU 3.0 coalition demonstration.

Slowly, friends and I continues the walk to the northern area of Jalan Sultan, some polices guarded there, and most of the people are mainly at the Petaling Street, while still can see some stalls opened during the BERSIH rally, which considered the business really busy especially the food and beverage hawker stalls. Just ask any stores that opened on Jalan Sultan and Petaling Streets, they mentioned to us “It’s really busy like hell and the business is really great than before!”.

Stop by at Pasar Seni train station to escort a girl  who newly to the BERSIH rally also a former catwalk model as well, friends and I continued the walk to the Central Market, where most of the guard from PKR Unit Amal is stationed there first and prepared to bring the crowds to the main assembly area for demonstartion in massive. I spotted many OKUs “Orang Kurang Upaya” or the disabled people are have a strong spirit to join the BERSIH rally as well, it’s superb and along the way, I still can saw even more disabled people no matter they are using hand sticks, wheel chair or whatever forms of it.

Taking some shots after that, our gang heading down to the BAR Council area where it’s considered another front line there will a line of police guarded there. Barbed wire as well being setup, it’s like a war zone, with a paper being stick there stated “Welcome to Tel Aviv”. For your info, Tel Aviv is the second largest city in Israel, which from my understanding, people who used Tel Aviv to describe the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which is also portray that the current government force of us try to rise a “war” between the people and the government. On this second frontline, as I can seen there is a creative sign of “Dataran Tak Merdeka” sign pointed towards the Dataran Merdeka direction signified that the Merdeka Square no longer independence. Plus other tents also showed on BAR Council there to tell the about the BERSIH objective and anti-Lynas objective.

Well, it’s a bit tired for circling the full round on the demonstration area around these street within 1 mile radius from Dataran Merdeka, so I’m circling back to the frontline which is Masjid Jamek —- Dataran Merdeka, right that time, it should be around 40000 peoples gathered on this busy street before other groups come together and join. Frankly,it’s a bit complicated crowds here and luckily the media being offered a nice place by the Unit Amal guards and some protestors to give way for the media take photo as evidence. Nice enough for me frankly. By then, locate some nice and refreshing place around DBKL building, have a rest and head to the frontline again.

For the first time ever, I’ve seen there is even fun environment happened on the front line of Dataran Merdeka —- playing a huge green ball. Well, it’s cool enough to release the tension during that hot and dry weather while gathering at the Dataran Merdeka. Everyone is played happily, bounce around the ball everywhere and it’s never stop in front of the barbed wire which heavily guarded by polices. As well on the same time, the other side, which facing the Jalan Kuching highway, it’s surrounded by amount of police and Federal Reserved Unit or FRU as the defence line, many crowds heading there and so on. Human walls from the polices secured tightly, while many people still taking photo for memories, especially , with “Angry Bird”. In a moment or longer, FRU come to the front with riot forced everyone run even fasters, which I have no idea what’s going on which I thought this war is going to start soon, heart bump even faster and the feeling almost like BERSIH 2.0 Rally, anytime it will be blasted.

Monitoring the whole situation nearly for hours, no sign of possible movement at all. The FRU at the Dataran Merdeka resting while I was standing at DBKL from far to monitor the situation while at the Masjid Jamek there there is speech from the Datuk Ambiga, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and others. By the time I’m resting at DBKL, I climbed up and take a look again the situation, which sounded even more loud. Police some how , they retreated, left from 4 line defence to almost zero, while the others at the most front break the barricage. Moreover, the sound of “MARA!” or “Go Forward” in Malay language appeared even louder. FRU’s water cannon suddenly fired on the most front protestors on the left flank, minutes later, FRU’s water cannon from the right flank fired, then the first tear gas round was fired and everyone immediately dispersed.

Taking some shot during the middle of running and hiding at the back of the street of DBKL building, people who are angry shouted across the river which PDRM bus and staffs stationed at , they shouted “polis anjing! tak berguna langsung !” “Nak bunuh kami huh”, everyone was still recovered from the tear gas shot. Everyone escaped to the SOGO area safely prepared for the next round attack, I’m monitored again from the top, where a lot of FRU plus their weapon moving forwards, some how I felt it’s even more dangerous than before. The tear gas that I suffered much more powerful than last time, my skin is like even more painful but after that it’s gone because I’m more immune to the tear gas frankly. Then, second round tear gas fired, I escorted my friend to the Sultan Ismail area. By then, while they rest, I’m alone to search for some story, then, police car from my behind pass by , everyone are greeting, but then it turned into even more messy where many bottle is threw on the cars. While I run in front, the car was hit, I don’t know what’s going on and it’s messy, I asked someone , they told me there are people being crashed on this accident. It’s messy until I can’t get a nice picture due to limitation on my gear too. By then, everyone running and retreat, I thought what happened, just run.

Around 4pm, another round of tear gas strike again, we’re hiding on a restaurant and hotel to monitor, police violence is everywhere, I urged everyone to not sound anything as the police they will provoke the citizens and try to beat people without reason. Sound how, I witnessed a chasing scene between two police and a protesters. Luckily, he ran faster and disappeared. Minutes later, another police violence again, this time catching two people, and then people came to help out the people who are innocent out from the police hand, also, manage to escape, police catch nothing. Moment later, police traffic motorcycle came in large to close down as I’m monitored from far, minutes later, FRU team came, no sign of conflict and then fall back. Considered secured at that moment. Around 6pm, my friend and I escort the girl back to the station and I continued to chat with some citizens on what I’ve seen and share more opinion with the others as well.

Right back to Masjid Jamek, before the grand finale of my 3 batteries of my camera dying out, I still managed to capture something there, FRU at Masjid Jamek move forward to the LRT stations after a group of PDRM convoy pass by , then water cannon fired at a lonely protesters while everyone is running to Masjid India that time. On the other hand, provocation on the media from FRU still going on too. Battery dying out and return to base.

As from this review of the BERSIH 3.0 Rally, I can see that, it’s the most largest ever demonstration on the Earth to be frank, covered many countries, different geographical area, as the main city of Kuala Lumpur too, which covered more than 100,000 people on the street surrounded Dataran Merdeka, some said it’s total of 600,000 surrounded the whole Kuala Lumpur within 5 mile radius from Dataran Merdeka. The history will remain such beautiful moment but left in a very violence situation as the local and foreign media themselves being beaten, some citizens being beaten hardly, provocation as well, peoples’s angry emotion on the police, many many faces that I saw, significantly bring in the new perception into my mind that Malaysian have awake from the worst ruling government that governed for 55 years. With the support of the international organization and communities, as well as the social media, the news spread even faster. At the same time, there are pro-BN as well revealed some of their activities that they’ve done, as some internet users claimed that the current ruling government is doing well while others are protest against the action that have been done, triggered a series of unstoppable critiques. Since the General Election 13th will be coming soon, we don’t know when, but from most of the comment I have heard, they have decided to vote their best, demanding the free and fair election, and many more , which is just a simple demand to be fulfilled. However, the journey will be even harder. As a photojournalist myself, I’ve looked on the future that, we can build a better nation with corruption-free, a united nation with a lot of these friendly people regardless races or ethnics. Well, I guess, that’s all for my story. It’s just a too long story for me I guess.