Malaysian Spring: Cops Say Malaysian Spring Is Arab Spring, Stop It
Malaysian Spring, a new NGO, sprouted recently to help people get involved in touch with their democratic power. Seeded by architect Ng Seksan, the group has one simple objective to spread the idea of hope and change for a better Malaysia by planting flowers in community spaces. Find out more about this project from the exclusive interview the SAYS team had with Ng Seksan below.
By Mei Mei Chu — 18 Apr 2013, 04:35 PM — Updated about 11 years ago
Organisers: Say thank you to PDRM for cleaning up
pdrm just finished a press conference n will be proceeding to removed all malaysian spring flowers today. please do not resist but thank them instead for helping us to clear up.
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Malaysian Spring activist denies Arab Spring plot
Ng Seksan, who initiated the “Malaysian Spring” campaign, has denied allegations the “flowers” or mini flags are focal points for demonstrations if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) loses the general election.
yahoo.com“They are spinning the story. There is no plot for demonstrations, I want to clarify this so there will be no panic or fear-mongering among the people,” Ng told The Malaysian Insider.
“They want to make it look so mischievous as if some uprising is brewing in the air,” he said.
He emphasised that the “Malaysian Spring” campaign is an initiative by ordinary citizens, who fund the making of the “flowers” themselves.
yahoo.com“A lot of the people who participate are women, I would say 80 per cent women. A lot of children are involved and a lot of elderly citizens are also involved.”
yahoo.com“This campaign is about our hope for a better Malaysia and it is inclusive of all political parties,” he said.
Police likens Malaysian Spring to Arab Spring, conducts investigation
The police are investigating those who have been “planting” multi-coloured “flowers” or mini flags in the city under their “Malaysian Spring” initiative.
yahoo.comThere have been accusations by certain bloggers that the “Malaysian Spring” organisers are planning an Arab Spring-like revolution after tomorrow’s polls.
yahoo.comDeputy IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said based on intelligence gathered; we have found that a group is trying to invite people to cause chaos during the elections.
thestar.com.my
Khalid said today that the police have started to remove the coloured flags ahead of tomorrow’s polling.
yahoo.com“What does Malaysian Spring mean? It has got to do with Arab Spring,” Khalid told reporters at the Bukit Aman police headquarters here
yahoo.com"We urge all those involved in organising this illegal activity to cease immediately or face stern action by police," he told a press conference in Bukit Aman on Saturday.
thestar.com.my
28 April: Removed flowers calls for replanting
Malaysian Spring called for a replanting of flowers at Bandar Utama today at 2:00PM as the flowers were removed.
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The endeavour is a collective resident fightback to maintain the people's rights to expression and to plant flowers on common space.
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A picture illustrating the 3000 flowers planted in Bandar Utama on 21 April 2013.
Image via imgur.comSAYS interview with Ng Seksan, Malaysian Spring Founder
[Malaysian Spring's] Objective is to spread just one idea of hope and change, change for a better Malaysia...
People who are involved with this campaign include small 7-years-old children and elderly grandparents lah.
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People are feeling alienated and disconnected from the political and democratic process in this country for too long.
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The simple gesture of making a flower and planting them in the street is the first step to get them involved.
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It is something for people to do, for communities to come together at this time of political shift.
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Planting flowers should not be illegal. If it is there is something very wrong with our bylaws and legislation! Just respect the people’s effort in this campaign and do not do selective policing.
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I know of a few other communities starting their own "spring" planting starting yesterday- Petaling Jaya, Kerinchi, Sarawak etc. Lucky Garden has not stopped, we are producing more flowers!!!
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Please help spread the idea and get all Malaysians to plant some flowers in the next few weeks. We would like to see 28 million flowers planted throughout Malaysia! One for each Malaysian.
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Mainstream news say Malaysian Spring is now part of Nurul Izzah's campaign
A residents’ initiative planting coloured flags to support Nurul Izzah Anwar is now part of the incumbent Lembah Pantai MP’s campaign to defend her seat against Umno's Datuk Raja Nong Chik Zainal.
msn.comNurul Izzah said the idea to make Malaysian Spring as part of her campaign came after “one of the residents called me and said, ‘We’re going to fight for this place’.”
Miniature blue, white, and red flags — the PKR vice-president’s party colours — as well as Bersih’s bright yellow colour were planted as part of residents’ “Malaysian Spring” campaign.
“Then the suggestion came from resident lawyers — they said one of the ways to mitigate this is to adopt it formally as part of my campaign material," Nurul Izzah explained.
So if you (DBKL) would like to remove them (the flags), you first and foremost have to remove the other paraphernalia belonging to Barisan Nasional,” the 32-year-old lawmaker said.
Watch now: Bangsar residents fight DBKL for their flowers
A project initiated by Malaysian Spring saw 20,000 "flowers" planted at Lucky Garden roundabout in Bangsar by a group of citizen volunteers with PKR Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah on Sunday morning.
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A few days later, the Bangsar Spring area was covered by BN banners, making it hardly visible.
Image via amazonaws.comNurul Izzah Anwar had joined them in a symbolic session to plant the "flowers of change".
But eight hours later at 5pm, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) personnel removed the flags.
fz.com
30 nearby residents stopped the officers, questioning who gave the orders and why the flags could not be planted, criticising DBKL for ignoring similar transgressions by BN billboards and flags.
Angry Bangsar residents reclaimed their right to free expression last weekend at a roundabout in Lucky Garden here by replanting 16,000 mini flags DBKL officers had dismantled.
The officers relented and allowed the residents to remove the flags from their van and continued to replant the "flowers" back on the ground.
msn.comNg Seksan: I nearly cried lah haha. Now the residents are guarding the flowers like their own babies, maintaining and making sure the flowers are in tiptop condition.
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Photos of Malaysian Spring blooming
Malaysian Spring flowers planted in Lucky Garden. DBKL came several hours later to remove the flowers, but not the BN flags.
Image via akamaihd.netWhat is Malaysian Spring?
It is about getting people to participate in the process of making a better Malaysia
through the simple gesture of planting flowers in their own neighborhood.
Malaysian Spring is a rakyat effort to spread the message of hope and change.
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Why are people planting flowers for Malaysian Spring?
To date, 18,400 “flowers” have been planted, with Malaysian Spring organisers led by landscape architect Ng Seksan planning to plant a total of 28 million “flowers” in the country.
Are you on 8Share? Spread the Malaysian Spring Social Good campaign
More than 18,000 flowers were planted by change agents - a simple and peaceful gesture to beautify Malaysian streets. Find out what they did here!
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