Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email The earlier campaign saw up to 5 Old Town brances shut down for various award-winning excuses. To test various theories, another campaign is planned this Thursday. The agenda – visit a Old Town kopitiam and drink kopi o – to signify a certain 1Black something. I must say, Malaysians are quite creative-lah.
So, is it illegal to get together at a licensed restaurant to drink black coffee? Will the koptiam chain bring down its shutters once more? Is this a sinister ploy to damage Old Town business – an attempt by its competitors? Or are the Old Time owners doing this to gain some free publicity – something that the powers-to-be are not happy with? Will anyone make a movie out of this – “The Day Old Town Kopi closed its shop” Part I sounds apt.
Will it be another coincidence that Jaya One, 3rd Mile Square Old Klang Road, Bangsar South, Bandar Puteri Puchong and Aman Puri Kepong Old Town branches are closed this Thursday?
I’m avoiding coffee for the last one week just in case there are overzealous people waiting to arrest anyone or anything in sight that’s within proximity of coffee 🙂 Teh-0 anyone?
The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) today urged all parties to respect the people’s right to wear black and drink kopi-o (black coffee).
Bersih’s call comes ahead of an 1BlackMalaysia campaign on Facebook to hold ‘kopi-o’ sessions in several Old Town White Coffee outlets this Thursday.
The campaign was conceptualised to mourn the death of democracy in Perak and Malaysia.
Last week, five Old Town White Coffee outlets – Jaya One, Three Two Square, 3rd Mile Square Old Klang Road, Sunway Mentari and Bangsar South – chosen by Facebook members as gathering points for such Kopi-O sessions were mysteriously closed down on Thursday late afternoon, for ‘upgrading work’ or ‘private functions’.
They resumed business the very next morning. Some notices were even handwritten, suggesting a last-minute decision was taken to shut for the day.
Bersih quoted a report by online news portal MerdekaReview that a staff member at one of the Old Town White Coffee outlets claimed that their drinks-making machines were out of order or needed an upgrade.
The staff members claimed that they were not aware of the Facebook invitation.
“Bersih hopes that the closures were indeed coincidental and not caused by any undue influence,” the coalition noted in a statement.
“If the authorities force the Old Town White Coffee to close its outlets just to bar patrons wearing black, it is tantamount to ‘sabotaging’ the national economy and should be investigated by the police,” it added.
Supporting national economy
Bersih said it hopes there will be no “equipment breakdown” in the six outlets so far picked by Facebook members as meeting points: Jaya One, 3rd Mile Square Old Klang Road, Bangsar South, Bandar Puteri Puchong and Aman Puri Kepong.
“It would be silly if any party tries to orchestrate a ‘local hartal’ of Old Town outlets. After all, if this campaign continues every week, can Old Town outlets afford to shut down every time they see customers in black entering their restaurant?” it asked.
Bersih said it is confident that the police will respect Malaysians’ right to wear black and drink kopi-o with friends.
“Any attempt by the police to harass, intimidate and arrest kopi-o drinkers in black, will only make the Najib administration look like an ‘uncivilised’ regime.
“Malaysians who wish to drink kopi-o in black this Thursday night should be able to patronise their favourite shops or restaurants without fear or anxiety.
“They are in effect patriotically supporting the national economy by increasing domestic demand, by consuming local products,” it added.
