1,000 people make trip to Bersih 4 rally in Kuching

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‘Spidey’ makes his appearence at KL rally.

‘Spidey’ makes his appearence at KL rally.

SIBU: An estimated 1,000 people from Central and Northern Sarawak – a mix of those from rural and urban communities – streamed into Kuching yesterday to attend the Bersih 4 rally.

Both DAP and PKR arranged five busloads of people to attend the two-day event.

In a journey from the North to the South covering 800km and a total of 12 hours spent on the road, DAP’s Alan Ling called it ‘The Long March’, a term borrowed from China’s historical movement in 1934 that changed its political landscape.

Two busloads of people followed Ling, who is also Piasau assemblyman, from Miri, Bintulu and Sibu.

In Sibu, another effort coordinated by PKR’s George Chen could only accommodate attendants of Central Sarawak in three buses, while others in hundreds of cars follow his group to the state capital yesterday.

Chen said those travelling in their three buses were mostly folks from rural communities.

“About 70 per cent are longhouse folks from Kapit, Bintulu, Kanowit, Mukah, Balingian, Julau, Bintangor, Selangau and Sarikei. There are also others from other racial communities; it is a balanced mix of the racial composition of Sarawak.”

Ling started the journey in Miri at 10.30pm on Friday so they could reach Kuching by noon Saturday for lunch, just before the start of the event.

Palawan assemblyman David Wong with others from Sibu joined Ling’s group at Sibu Bus Terminal at 4.30am yesterday.

He said Lanang MP Alice Lau, Sibu MP Oscar Ling and Dudong assemblyman Yap Hoi Liong were already in Kuching on Friday.

“All DAP state assembly persons and MPs in Sarawak are taking part in the event.”

Chen’s group started the journey in Sibu at 5.30am, reaching Kuching also at noon.

He said they did not book hotel rooms as the participants were staying at the event site until Merdeka Eve.

They only arranged a place for baths and rest with relatives and friends.

“The participants arranged for their own food and drink. We only provide a medical kit for emergencies.”

He said these people willingly went with them because they were concerned for the political and economic future of the nation.

The yellow T-shirts with the Bersih 4 logo were all grabbed up in Sibu within 24 hours.

Chen and David Wong said they had hundreds of the shirts on Thursday, but by Friday they were all snapped up.

“We continue to be flooded with calls for more yellow T-shirts, but have none left.”

Police standing guard as Bersih rally participants make their way from Likas Bay I to Likas Bay II in Kota Kinabalu.

Police standing guard as Bersih rally participants make their way from Likas Bay I to Likas Bay II in Kota Kinabalu.