Few days have past since the incident took place. I have chosen to write about this after things have settled a little so that people can better rational things. I am rather disappointed with how some of our mainstream medias described this incident. For those who didn't attend, my advice to you is to disregard and not being confused by what you have read/listened. Many people were debating on the actual number of people that attends but to me, what matter most isn't numbers but the spirit that each of us carry.
Honestly, I haven't been this patriotic in my life. I do love my country a lot, especially after witnessing its beauty, but I have never thought of being part of a rally.
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I was talking to my friends in FB about attending this or not few hours before it took place. My main concerned was the consequence that could potentially entail when people gets too emotionally involved. But still, hoping that I could contribute, even that tiniest or how trivial it may seem, to make this country a better place to live in, I have decided to take a gamble.
Never in my life I've walked that much except during my visit to Penang some almost 10 years ago.
We actually walked for more than an hour in Penang just to look for our hotel after our visit to some place.
That was crazy, I know.
The stadium was located a few kilometres away from the LRT station. The jam along LDP was really really crazy on the direction towards the stadium. Those who drove took few hours to reach there and few hours to reach home after the gathering took place. People dressed up in black crowded two sides of LDP despite the drizzle. The late teenage and those in their twenties made up majority of the crowd. Motorcyclist and cars were honking and cheering as they passed by.
The crowd gets condensed at the back of Paradigm mall. All cars coming out from the mall was stuck in a stagnant jam. Worse were the cars in the residential area behind the mall, the drivers have given up their car in the middle of the road to go home after a few hours of stationary. Just so you know, the cars were still at it's place after about 1-2 hours.
The crowd was so crazy everyone walked like a penguin.
We managed to get a self shot without being scolded for obstructing the human traffic. So now, you can imagine how bad the 'jam' was.
It wasn't as what described by our dearest Prime Minister.
Indian, Malay, Chinese even the whites and foreigners, made up majority of the crowd.
It wasn't something about outcasting the rights of any race(s).
But a fight to deter corruption, a cleaner election as well as to protest against all unfairness that happens in our country.
Some of them came for this from other states.
The people didn't forget to have fun despite being in sweats.
Look at those posers behind. Anyway right behind me was Andrew.
I haven't seen this much of people in a stadium.
Not even during my favourite celebrity's concert.
The crowd was so huge we couldn't get into the field. This is a scene taken from the staircase to the first row seating. The place was so condensed that I doubt if a single sand could squeeze through. Apart from sweating, it was so humid that we couldn't breathe properly. We couldn't hear a single thing spoken by the speaker(s) despite our efforts in squeezing in so we have decided to go home after some 1-2 hours. Those who came by LRT has left together with us at about 10pm to catch the last train.
I thought the crowd would lighten as we leave but we saw crowds coming in while we were walking back to the LRT. This picture was taken right behind Paradigm mall. The building in this picture is indeed Paradigm itself.
We rested our feet at Starbucks before our approx. 1 hour walk back to the nearest LRT station.
It isn't about race and ethnic, but we Malaysians want Malaysia to be a better place to live in.
Tweet me @janeschwan.