• Pidato by Five Menteri Besar from Pakatan Rakyat in Stadium Perak on April 14

It’s the sort of crowd pulled in by big events in quiet Ipoh; football finales, Jom Heboh events etc. I’m guessing from the capacity of Stadium Perak of 30,000 when the stands are fully packed, we can easily assume MORE than 30,000 people attended the speech by 5 Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besars on this memorable Black 14. I swear I could’ve heard the announcement that the crowd last night at Stadium Perak reached 70,000 strong but that number sounds too exaggerating for me.

Initially, the speakers are supposedly Menteri Besar from 5 PR states. Unfortunately, only two Menteri Besar were present, Kedah and Perak. 3 other states sent their representatives instead. So the final line-up of speakers were: Datuk Dr Hassan Ali (MB Selangor rep), Nga Kor Ming (Chief Minister Penang rep), Ust Azizan Razak (MB Kedah), Ir Mohd Nizar (MB Perak) dan Datuk Husam Musa (MB Kelantan rep).

Among a few main issues touched during their speeches:

• centralized pig farm project in Kampung Tumbuk
• influx of foreign investors seeking to invest in PR states
• calling for radio and TV broadcast licenses
• the mystery of disappearing state office documents despite lack of toyo(l) sightings in northern states
• subsidised RON95 and unsubsidised RON99
• support of judicial reforms

Many more I guess. Speeches were mainly in delivered in Bahasa Malaysia, so I couldn’t make out some of the finer and subtle stuff. The Perak crowd though were very responsive. They clapped, cheered and chanted at every opportunity. Laughed and jeered when Barisan Nasional were mentioned.

When the donation bags did the rounds, the people were extremely generous. Reaching for their wallets before the bags came within reach. People were jostling to put their money in the bags. However, the officials couldn’t count the donation in time before midnight.

As it turned out, the gathering was peaceful and smooth. No threats from the police. No problems at all. Maybe the it’s because Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim wasn’t here, who knows.

Nga Kor Ming in red batik shirt taking to the mic

Husam Musa speaking to a crowd more than 20,000 Perak folks

Husam Musa

Husam Musa close up