Gen 709 mourns Baharudin at KLCC

While elsewhere the crackdown against electoral reform group Bersih 2.0  continues, 50 protestors in yellow T-shirts marched unhindered in the heart of Kuala Lumpur at 2pm today.

In stark contrast to the show of force last week, police were oddly absent despite protestors convening for almost an hour.

Demanding justice for Baharudin Ahmad who died after participating in the mass rally last week, the group walked from the KLCC park to Avenue K shopping complex, the same path said to be taken by Baharudin to escape police tear gas attack.

His nephew, Azhar Kassim was among the protestors seeking emotional closure to the events leading to his uncle's death.

"We come here to seek justice. I want an explanation for my uncle's death. His death is a shock to us, as far I know he did not have any sickness, he was an ex-military man and was healthy," said Azhar.

The circumstances of Baharudin death is unclear, with officials attributing it to a heart failure while government opponents claim it to be a result of tear gas exposure.

Justice mission ends in death

Also present were Bersih steering committee members Wong Chin Huat and Rawang assemblyperson, Gan Pei Nei and Indian NGO coalition WargaAMAN chairperson Rajaretinam Armuggan.

Rajaretinam, who claimed he was with Baharudin at Avenue K on that day, said that police did not help when Baharudin was clearly in distress.

"There was police car - they could have carried him to the nearest hospital. Why didn't they?" he asked.

At Avenue K, Wong (wearing glasses,next to him is Kassim) conveyed Bersih 2.0's condolences to a teary eyed Kassim, handing over to him a copy of a red and rugged looking federal constitution wrapped in a Bersih headband.

"When my uncle left on Saturday, he said that he was going out for justice, and I believe this was the justice he meant, for the federal constitution," said Kassim.

Earlier the protestors with yellow carnations and carrying banners reading "Generation 709" observed a moment of silence for Baharudin before laying their flowers at a pillar at the shopping complex.

Calling themselves Generation 709, the mostly young protestors representing the face of post-Bersih 2.0 are also calling for the release of 6 PSM members held under the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

Now popularly known as the EO6, they were arrested in Penang on June 26 for allegedly ‘waging war against the Agong’ during their 'Udahlah tu... Bersarahlah!' (That’s enough… Retire!) campaign against the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

They were subsequently released and rearrested immediately under the EO on July 2, and have been in police custody since.

Later, Wong wearing his trademark black long sleeve shirt and pants – from his 1BlackMalaysia campaign – and a yellow tie - in support of Bersih 2.0 - blamed Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for Baharudin’s death.

“If the prime minister had made good on his promise (to provide a stadium for the rally), then this would not have happened,” he said.

“Last Saturday, we saw the best and worst of Malaysia. There were Malaysians who were ready to die fighting for a better Malaysia. On the other hand, we also saw some powerful Malaysians who showed completed disregard for human rights and human dignity,”

“On that day we saw two Malaysias confronting each other, and there is no doubt that the new Malaysia, Generation 709 has prevailed,” he added.

Memo submitted to Bukit Aman

Earlier today, a group of NGOs led by PKR - Lawyers for Liberty, Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA, Youth for Change and WargaAMAN - submitted a memorandum to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman over Baharudin's death.

The group called on the inspector-general of police to apologise to the family of Baharudin and launch a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of his death.

In a statement, the group dismissed the government's explanation of Baharudin's death, claiming there were inconsistencies.

"The most shocking is that Baharudin had a few of his ribs broken, lost a tooth, and there were cuts on his lips. To date, the police has failed to explain how he sustained such injuries," the statement read.

The NGOs also urged that whatever investigation that follow should be made public.

Bersih is a loose coalition comprising over 60 NGOs advocating free and fair election.

The movement brought tens of thousand of protestors to KL last week to press for its cause, the largest demonstration the country has seen since 2007.

The government did not take the show of dissent kindly, with the demonstration seeing 1,697 individuals arrested by police.

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