Police fire tear gas at Anwar, PAS picks Ir. Nizar for Bukit Gantang ~ malaysiakini

By Wong Choon Mei

PAS has selected Perak Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar Ir. Muhamad Nizar Jamaluddin to contest the Bukit Gantang by-election, while further north in Bukit Selambau, Kedah, police used tear gas and water canons to break up a peaceful crowd that had come to hear Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim speak.

The unnecessarily tough police action has further spurred speculation that the charismatic reform icon might soon be arrested, as incoming premier Najib Abdul Razak resorts to repressive means to tighten his grip on power.

"This is downright disgusting behaviour. The police have no call to treat civilians like that," said KeADILan information chief Tian Chua.

"Sadly, it is consistent with the powers that be and we are afraid, like everyone else in the nation, that Umno-Barisan Nasional under Najib will be extremely insecure and resort to harsh action at any sign of dissent."

Meanwhile, in Perak, the well-liked 52-year old Nizar was chosen from a short-list of four candidates by his PAS party. He has impressed Perakians and Malaysians nation-wide with his steady demeanour following the controversial power grab by the Umno-BN early last month.

Nizar will face Umno's Ismail Saffian, the 49-year old former Bukit Gantang Umno information chief in the contest. Nomination day is on Mar 29 and polling on Apr 7.

The parliamentary seat fell vacant following the untimely death of PAS leader Roslan Shahrum. The late Roslan had beaten Umno's Azim Zabidi by 1,566 votes polling 20,015 votes against 18,449 in the March 2008 general elction.

Rumours that Anwar may be arrested

Meanwhile, at Bukit Selambau in Kedah, police fired round after round of tear gas and chemical-laced water into a crowd of more than 5,000 who had gathered a public field nearby to the KeADILan operations centre to listen to Anwar's political lecture.

Anwar first hit the campaign trail for the three by-elections in Bukit Gantang in Perak, Bukit Selambau in Kedah and Batang Ai in Sarawak last week.

The ceramah began at 9.30 pm and according to eyewitnesses, police set off tear gas canisters and sprayed jets of chemical-laced water into the crowd just as Anwar was about to speak.

Party members quickly ushered him to a safe room in the KeADILan building, where he and other leaders were forced to stay locked up until the police departed at about 11 pm.

Political watchers believe that Anwar's Pakatan will easily win in both Kedah and Perak, although they reserved judgement on Batang Ai until the picture was clearer.

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