Anger against Lim deflected at Seksualiti Merdeka instead

Various 'dissatisfied' groups had planned to hold a huge protest against Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng outside the state government offices at Komtar in Penang from 2.30pm today - but nothing happened.

The planned massive rally was to be led by Lim's most vocal critic, Suara Anak-anak Malaysia president Mohamad Ghani Abdul Jiman.

Reporters gathered at the scene left at 3pm when informed that Ghani was involved in another rally - against Seksualiti Merdeka.

Ghani, who is also Komtar Traders Association vice-president, has usually led rallies against the Pakatan Rakyat state government, attended by no more than 300 protesters, and at times only managed to bring about 10 to 20 supporters.

This time, Ghani was expected to lead a crowd of some 1,500 to 2,000 people from various 'multiracial' groups in the protest against Lim.

However, Ghani (left) instead led another rally - albeit a small one - at Kampung Rawa to protest against the recently banned Seksualiti Merdeka festival.

About 70 people turned up at the Kampung Rawa mosque after Friday prayers and rallied peacefully for about 30 minutes, while police stood watch.

The protesters - members of Perkasa, Suara Anak-Anak Malaysia, Pajim and the state body for Anti-Liberalism of Religion (Badai) - held placards and banners while crying out their unhappiness about the festival.

They burn a poster depicting the Bar Council logo, claiming that a number of lawyers from the body were involved in Seksuality Merdeka.

They also hit out at former Bar Council chairperson S Ambiga, who is scheduled to launch the event in Kuala Lumpur.

"This kind of deviant behaviour cannot be allowed. It is against all races and religions," Ghani said.

"Nobody can accept men marrying men or women marrying women. Even male pigs cannot marry each other," he added.

'Seksualiti Merdeka can spoil young children' 

Badai secretary-general, Mohamed Hafiz Mohamed Nordin said the programme would "spoil" the young generation.

“This is an event that supports unnatural sexual orientation and must be banned for the betterment of not only the Muslims but those of all religious beliefs,” Hafiz added, urging the authorities to take legal action against Ambiga.

“The gays and lesbians should just do this among their kind and in a very quiet manner if they want to hold such event so badly.

“They should not make it into a grand scale event that may
be exposed to young children… it's not something that promotes anything useful, it is very derogatory in nature,” Hafiz stressed.

He and a number of those at the gathering, including Ghani, then proceeded to the northeast district police headquarters to lodge a report against the holding of Seksualiti Merdeka.

Ghani wants the police to investigate and take appropriate action against the organisers as "such events and behaviour can undermine the credibility of the rakyat".

Yesterday, deputy inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar announced a blanket ban on the annual event, and police last night abruptly moved to stop a forum that was to be held in conjunction with the event.

This year's Seksualiti Merdeka has created waves, with several quarters condemning it while some organisations such as the Bar Council, Suaram and Sisters in Islam expressing regret over the ban imposed by the police.

The event has been held since 2008 to promote better understanding of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in the country and for the people to respect their rights.

According to an SMS circulated to members of the media earlier in the day, the afternoon protest against the chief minister at Komtar would be lebih meriah (merrier), with the participation of taxi, lorry, factory bus and trailer drivers from all ethnic communities.

"(They are) not satisfied with CM Lim Guan Eng and will drive their own vehicles to Komtar in a float procession," says the SMS sent out in Bahasa Malaysia.

"Let's all gather at Komtar, after the Friday prayers. Led by Ghani Komtar. Circulate," the message says.

Asked why he did not turn up at Komtar, Ghani said the rally there was actually organised by another group.

"But since I have become so famous in Penang, they used my name to invite the media. If they do not use my name, there is no oomph in the rallies," he said.

Rallies put Lim under siege

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, has been besieged by various demonstrations attacking his leadership that have been organised by Ghani.

A trader in leather goods, Ghani fell out with the state government after the state renovated the third floor of Komtar's concourse area, where the traders have set up stalls.

Since then, Ghani and several others have been involved in rallies, the most notable being the July protest against Lim for supporting Bersih 2.0, which was attended by about 300 protesters around
Komtar, after which many proceeded to the Penang Bridge and halted traffic there for about 30 minutes.

Several Umno leaders, including Senator Ezam Mohd Nor and state Umno Youth chief Norman Dahlan were spotted in the crowd, but Umno vehemently denied it was behind the angry demonstration or the chaos at Penang Bridge.

Ghani has been detained by police several times, but this has not deterred his mission to express his dissatisfaction with Lim for allegedly marginalising the Malay community in Penang.

On Monday, more than 200 mat rempit donning yellow T-shirts with words 'LGE racis' and 'Save Penang' staged a noisy rally near the Penang state legislative assembly.

The NGO supposedly behind the mat rempit - Pertubuhan Islam Gabungan Amal - distanced itself from the protest, saying the youths merely wanted to request a track for their racing activities.


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