The New Year Raid: Press Conference Report
It was a good meet, pretty charged up too, especially when the attendees cheered the speakers on at every good point raised. But I was about 30 minutes late, so I didn’t hear the beginning part of the talk. There must be about 100 to 150 fellow indie/diy musicians & activists there in the venue so it’s pretty packed, and the crowd includes the more well-known “personalities” such as two Malaysian Idol contestants!
Basically there were kids from every part of the scene, right from the staunchly DIY punk/HC sector, to the regulars on ROTTW magazine, to more political Food Not Bombs and UBU, to old slowhands such as Julian Mokhtar & Peter Hassan Brown. It felt right. So yeah, we have our differences but this thing affects everybody and if you keep taking these senseless authoritarian blows without fighting back, then you’re pretty much fucked, no matter if your DIY or die or Rock The World worshippers.
If you’ve been to Paul’s Place you should know the lay-out of the area, and at the press conference today, the usual “viewing angle” was reversed. So instead of people on the floor keeping their eyes dead straight to the stage, they were all standing and watching/listening to a line of representatives sitting on chairs at the back of the venue (where the the mixing desk and fridge were). Sorry people, I didn’t have my camera with me.
Anyway, the representatives faced the media and behind the media, the crowd. So all see was the representatives; from the left: Jasklyn (activist), Paul, Julian Mokhtar (The Bues Gang! GODZ!), Encik Rafil (360DHR), some guy I don’t know, then the singer from Second Combat (can’t remember his name now), a lawyer (was his name Amir?) and Azmyl Yunor.
From what I heard almost all the print media and TV were there (including BBC World Service), apart from Harian Metro! Maybe the talk (mostly in English) could have blown their tiny minds to bits, so they have wisely avoided injuries there. Anyway, a lot of points raised, some typical ones which actually common sense anyway. But the lawyer talked a lot about how the police has abused their power, illegally detaining people without proper procedures and overstepping their limits. One main point was that they didn’t charge the detainees with anything or declare that they were under arrest before taking them onto the trucks, and that’s basically illegal. That is wrongful arrest. One woman said that she asked a policeman whether they had a warrant to do what they were doing and the reply was, “this is not (some other country), we don’t need a warrant!”
The lawyer read a police report by one woman who said that she was at the stall having a meal with her husband and friends when the police came and took all of them to the police station! Huh?
Medec of the veteran grindcore band Negation blasted the journalists for their biased reportage or the lack of responsibility, the lack of proper research and balanced, well-informed articles. He also touched upon the art of raising kids, as he has two young ones, in terms of having a more open attitude about things the kids are facing.
I think Mark from Soundscape Records suggested upon forming an organisation of sorts to counter this in the future and Medec point out the fact that the scene is made up of all races and that it’s much, much healthy than realiti shows such as Akademi Fantasia which catered and featured mainly for the Malays.
And it went on, with Jacklyn touching about human rights issues etc. All in, pretty damn good stuff really. Kudos to all the panellists, they did a very good job indeed. I think at the very least they have delivered the message that the scenesters are no pushovers; that we are not going to take it squatting down like the authorities want it. That we are not stupid and we know our rights etc. I just hope the media who were there would be good enough to concentrate on the finer points of it all and feature a good argument on behalf of the scene.
So yeah, do check out the media in the next few days, or maybe tonight too. One of the detainees told me that when they were all at the police station, huddled together on the tarmac, they ignored the police call for them to quiet down and loudly cheered the new year countdown, watching the fireworks going off in the sky, hugging each other etc. It’s going to be a memorable new year for them all; something to tell the grandchildren one day.
and so, thanks to all who were there and lent their support for the effort. Thanks to Rafil and gang for putting it all together.
I feel sorry for what has happen with the gigg. I’ve
seen u guys have started with the press conference
which is really good.Here are some of my suggestion
that u might want to take into consideration:
1)Have a meeting wthat involves OCPD, ketua police
negara, home affair ministry, gigg organizer, lawyers
and musicians. There should be a clarification on
Black Metal issue pasal we have been told by the
goverment that black metal is forbidden but then why
is this gigg that has got nothing to do with black
metal has been raid? Where is the border line? Where
is the rule of law?
2)Lets teach the media! Harian Metro’s frontpage
report dated 2nd January has linked the so called this
black metal gigg with the sex party that was suppose
to be held in Langkawi. The organizer of the show
could exploit this situation. Besides sueing the
police department, you could also proceed with the
media as those allegations can be considered as fitnah
and malicious. We are not black metal and we have got
nothing to do with the sex party. If they can’t proof
the link beetween the sex party and the gigg, then we
definitely gonna win.
I really hope that you guys will do your best to
protect your right as a citizen. Bukan nya kita benci
kerajaan, polis dan media, cuma kita mahukan keadilan
dan hak2 kita terjamin. Exploit this situation to send
message to the police and media that they are not
dealing with kutu, tahi dadah and org2 bodoh. They are
actually dealing with citizens of Malaysia who know
their right, educated and very critical of what’s
happening around them. This is the right time to
highlight the problems. THIS IS IT! Call for action.
Protact your rights.
Just seen the News on TV. I checked out TV3, TV8 & TV7. TV 7 didn’t feature the conference, were they at Paul’s today? I don’t know. TV3 still calls the kids “Black Metal”, I guess the reporter’s too thick or maybe the editor edited him/her out to still feature that sensationalist tag. The best one was on TV8, it basically nailed it nicely. Now we wait for the print media tomorrow.
ya, we have to do something bout harian metro. teach them a lesson… sue them!
“this is not (some other country), we don’t need a warrant!”
huh!!..
OK..i totally agreed with kandos..Proof to the cops…proof to the media mass that we aint black metal kids..we are music lovers who are educated n aware to the law and human rights..since i was among the innocent detainees…i already lodged a report and urged the detainees who havent done it to do so for our own right..yeah they can sue harian metro..i guess it will be ‘saman malu’..why on earth they have the idea to relate this gig with the sex party in Langkawi??Please proof about it in the court!!!And they claimed that the girls who wore tudung and attend the gigs were the “penyeri” for that gigs..why should they made this stupid statement?Everybody have their liberty..There are few provisions in Federal Constitution which talks about liberty and also freedom of assembly..it provides that every persons have the right to assemble peacefully with arms..so where can they find our mistakes?
And Metro’s headline is about pesta lepas geram and there is a statement that “ini diakui sendiri oleh pengunjung konsert berkenaan”..i think that they already make a fake statement..METRO you dont have to raise these issues to make yourself well-known..you’re really in troublesome right now..!we’re the awareful and educated citizen will fight for our human rights!
Thanks for all your support at Paul’s! Your energy got me and the other panelists totally pumped.
Last detainee, David (manager, sound guy, all rounder, at Paul’s) was released on bail just before 10pm Mon night.
Ben & CK provided me sustanence for what turned out to be a 5 hour wait for them to process David (Prosperity Burger Value Meal – Yes, they’re Evil and the commercial cow ranches result in Amazonian rain forest being razed but that’s what I call a fucking burger).
Now we need to get Paul’s Place and everyone elses shit back from the station. Will start working on that tomorrow.
Punk’s not dead.
It’s alive, kicking and EXTREMELY PISSED OFF.
Good night, sleep tight kiddies. Make sure the Black Metal Bogey Man doesn’t get you.
fuhh semangat gile!posi abis!everything was cool.tapi aku rasa diaorang emphasize more on”we are not black metal”tapi bukan atas kebebasan expresi atau untuk memilih(satan worshipping ke or dont celebrate relegion)yup maybe the strai8 edge kids feel they have to explain thier lifestyle yg lain dari dipaparkan oleh media but what if a dude really drink blood,dont believe in god or drink beer what if theres dude like GG ALLIN man!!!are we gonna sideline him bcoz hes morally wrong??i think this issue is about moral and i think we should tackle this like s.i.s and w.a.o tackle the clubbing raid+polis abuse in 2004.NO MORAL POLICE!
I’m with you chem, but the real issues had to be simplified, toned down and certain areas ignored. Jasklyn actually said something along that line, but of course, the emphasis is to detach the ones deatianed from the Logam Hitam thingy, as this was main cause or excuse from the police to “save our souls”. Of course, there are areas which left a bit of unwanted taste in me buds, but I think it’s wise to do that, especially when you’re dealing with pretty proud morons who just cannot understand that people are different, and that they have the rights to be different and to differ.
” Bolehkah polis mengambil/meminta I/C anda tanpa sebab?”
” Polis tiba – tiba menahan anda semasa di acara muzik, bagaimana?”
” Polis membuat serbuan di pertunjukan muzik independen, apa yang harus dilakukan??”
” Polis berpakaian biasa cuba menahan anda, apa reaksi sepatutnya?
| penyalahgunaan kuasa polis berlaku dimana-dimana dan di pelbagai strata komuniti masyarakat. Pada malam perayaan tahun baru 31 disember 2005, di acara muzik independen yang berlansung di Paul’s place, pihak polis telah melakukan satu penahanan yang terang-terangan melanggar prosedur sepatutnya penahanan. Ekoran daripada kejahilan kita dengan hak-hak yang kita ada apabila berhadapan dengan polis menjadikan ia satu titik untuk mereka menggunakan budaya ketakutan, membuli dan melanggar etika penahanan. Dengan mengetahui cara yang sebenarnya berhadapan dengan pihak polis/berkuasa, penahanan dan pembulian oleh polis boleh dihalang daripada awal tanpa perlu meleret hingga ke balai polis/lokap|
KETAHUILAH HAK ANDA BERHADAPAN DENGAN POLIS !!
dengan menghadiri bengkel KUASA -KUASA POLIS
(bengkel latihan untuk menjadi pelatih dan membuat bengkel sendiri di tempat masing-masing)
tempat : LOST GENERATION SPACE,
no.11, lorong permai, off jalan syed putra,
robson heights, 50460, KL
( * lihat peta dan public transport ke sana di:
http://www.geocities.com/lostgenspace/ )
tarikh : 7 Januari 2005
masa : 10.30 pagi – tamat (petang)
kontek: 012 243 8406
013 243 7092
organise by FOODNOTBOMBSKL
thanks for the press conference which resulting most of us standing in front of brickfields police station. thanks for the support of peeps from all over the ngo’s and dap, the police finally decides to release our friends with no specific charges. they only thing that they are trying to do is to charge our friends under the so called charges selling t-shirts without any proper license and the so called selling a t-shirt that depicting the image of black metal. to those who were at the press conference and the brickfields police station, you guys were awesome. kind of reminding the good old days where punk, hc, metal, crusty, indie all sticking up together. its starting to tickle me that sufferage should start again. heh
Media: Misbehave Educational Doctrine In Action!
dammed it’s all media..
polis still mempertahankan diri sendiri, taknak mengaku salah, takut malu, rasa berkuasa…bla bla…media pun sama, ni semua lepas dah buat press conference….tah pape…so, how now?
I’ve still remembered someone told me that… the media power was control by PM…that’s why they never show the conference in Paul’s Place…and that’s why some of us still express about the mass media…
when issues like these arises, we just happen to co-exist no matter the differences in our ideology and understandings happen to be. maybe something to think about, no matter how d.i.y or rock the world you happen to be. these issues affects us all directly or indirectly.