In Makkal Shakthi territory
Later that night, Brickfields was like a madhouse. Thousands of people, mostly Indians, packed like sardines in a small field where a stage had been set up and some Hindraf and PKR ‘small fries’ were warming the mike for Anwar.
This is clearly Makkal Shakthi (people’s power) territory – the new rallying cry that has united disenchanted Indians, the big majority of whom are Tamil youths holding low-paid, semi-skilled jobs like drivers, dispatch boys and office clerks. [there are quite a substantial number of professionals, teachers, government staff and entrepreneur who also agree with HINDRAF]
One after another, the speakers went to the rostrum to lambast MIC president S Samy Vellu, who is now the favourite whipping boy of PKR Indian leaders. They all started their speech with some invocation probably in Sanskrit. [hmmm…the Indian writer doesn’t know sanskrit words?]
Suddenly the air was punctuated with shouts of Makkal Sakthi. There was a stir in the crowd. Nurul Izzah Anwar had arrived and was being escorted to the stage to the lively and stirring tunes of live Indian drums and nadhaswaram (wind instrument) music.
Dressed in a red kebaya and with large floral patterns and a grey tudung, the fresh-faced 27-year-old still looks fresh, politically that is. She kicked off her speech with the Makkal Shakthi slogan to the approval of the crowd, and spoke in careful measured tones with precise hand gestures. She did not criticise her opponent. She spoke about rising crime, about money wasted on a space tourist and promised to work hard if elected.
The security around her was also tight with several UTK-types in black leather jackets, their mouths always working like toman fish munching chewing gums.
Commanding performance
Anwar finally arrived about 11pm and was again accompanied with Indian music. He began his speech with his now familiar, “On March 9, I will reduce petrol prices!” and went on to give the audience, estimated at 5,000, a commanding performance.
He attacked both Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his old nemesis, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The Makkal Sakthi crowd lapped it up. Some old Anwarites tried to get the crowd to chant reformasi but failed. The crowd preferred Makkal Shakthi. However, ‘Anwar car stickers’ sold like hot cakes at RM4 a piece.
After the speech, Anwar stood on the stage and had a difficult time receiving the cash that the sea of humanity was pushing into his hands. Finally someone found a discarded plastic to hold the cash.
As in Bandar Tun Razak and Wangsa Maju, there were few Malays and Chinese, another ominous sign that Anwar is not winning the middle ground but is sliding to the fringe where the anger is palpable but the votes are not enough to create a critical mass for national change.
Petrol price is unlikely to be slashed come March 9 but the chances for Nurul Izzah to enter Parliament is improving.
Excerpt from MK article (source)