Large turn-out at Bersih gathering in Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU: An unprecedented large crowd of about 1,500 people from all walks of life converged at the historic Merdeka Padang in the city today.

Although turned away by hundreds of policemen barricading the field, they managed to conduct their Bersih 3.0 sit-in, a call for FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS.

City Hall officers were also quick to thwart Sabah Bersih 3.0 plans to hold its peaceful sit-in protest against electoral fraud which the state has seen more than its fair share of since the 1990s when the Umno-led Barisan Nasional came to Sabah.

They, however, managed to conduct their Bersih 3.0 sit-in – for free and fair elections – around the field which on normal days is open to the public either for sport or recreation.

DBKK's poorly attended anti-crime programme ...empty

However, DBKK’s hastily organised anti-crime programme was poorly attended with almost all the stalls set up on the field empty.

Only scores of DBKK staff were present in the stalls. Nevertheless, they used their loud speaker system to disrupt the speeches of some Bersih leaders who were using a hailer.

Among those present were Bersih 3.0 Sabah chairman, singer Atama, whose real name is Andrew Ambrose, State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chairman, Jeffrey Kitingan, state DAP chairman, Jimmy Wong and PKR leaders.

FRU watching over sit-in gathering

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Yong Teck Lee, who sent 200 members from the party’s youth wing (most visible crowd), also appeared at the gathering.

There  were no untoward incidents, no arrests were made and the crowd started to disperse.

MEANWHILE in Donggongon, a small group of 20 local activists who gathered at the now famous Datuk Peter Mojuntin Monument in Donggongon, Penampang, some 12 km from here, was denied the opportunity to sit-in at the monument. They however staged their sit-in at a mamak cafe just adjacent to the monument.

Workers of the Penampang District Council, and some believed to be policemen, carried out "cleaning activities" at the monument from 11am till 4pm without stopping, the first time the authority did so on the monument in a very long years.

They even brushed the floor areas and the bronze (only legs parts because of its height) monument of the revered late leader of the Kadazandusuns, and made sure the area was wet at all time.

Among the activists present there were chairman of CigMa or Common Interest Group Malaysia, Daniel John Jambun, representative of Mafrel and Transparency International, Jerry Ombou, journalist/activist Kanul Gindol, Penampang representative Bernard Solibun and lawyer Peter Marajin.

Jambun said the authorities had employed the "occupy first" tactic to deny the public of access to the monument. "We relented and just observed them cleaning the areas. We achieved our objective of a sit-in in protest of the unwillingness of the ruling party to clean our electoral rolls ahead of the general election," Jambun said.

Bersih 3.0 supporters and SAPP back-up banners

Portion of crowd

Handshake Bersih3.0 organiser with Yong

DBKK officers confront Bersih

SAPP president and member taking part

Bangkit Sekarang Bersihkan Malaysia....at Suria

Crowd singing NegaraKu

Rain or Shine...come and support Bersih3.0

Part of the crowd

Andrew Ambose AKA Atama using a hailer

PKR Kota Kinabalu division giving its full support to the Sabah BERSIH 3.0 rally

Sabah Himpunan Hijau 3.0

SM Muthu environment activist is spreading the GREEN
message to the rally participant and got a huge support from them