Malaysia Today editor, Raja Petra Kamarudin is freed from detention at 9.30am after a bail of RM5,000 is posted. Syed Jaymal Zahiid of Malaysiakini reports that Raja Petra’s change of mind about not posting bail earlier is due to security reasons.

“The prison authority told me that they cannot guarantee my safety because they had received some reports of threat and that Sirul (Azhar Umar) and Azilah (Hadri) had shouted and said that something will happen to me,” he said.

Sirul and Azilah are the two murder suspects in the ongoing trial of the murder of Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaaribu.

Andrew Ong of Malaysiakini reports that Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) residents, during a standoff with police officers to prevent Cheras-Kajang Expressway concessionaire, Grand Saga from re-erecting a barricade at the BMC access road, were sprayed with water cannon and tear gas!

During the chaotic situation, BMC Open Road Committee Chairperson Tan Boon Hwa and three other residents were arrested by police while Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng was beaten by plainclothes officers in front of reporters! The beating only stopped when the police were told that Lim is an MP!

It looks like the BN Federal Government has not learnt their lesson from the 8 March political tsunami which results in the loss of 2/3 majority in the Federal Parliament and losing the state governments of Selangor, Perak, Penang and Kedah as well as failing to capture Kelantan.

We, the people, has spoken via ballot boxes that we do are sick of the rising cost of living as a result of the increase in petrol price and highway toll rates, which caused price of goods and services to increase as well. We also condemn the use of force by police to disperse the crowd during the Bersih and Hindraf rallies in November 2007.

It is now hoped that BN will do some soul searching to see where went wrong. However, this BMC incident clearly indicates that they have not learnt. It is wrong to force BMC residents to use a longer route, which requires them to pay an additional 90 sen toll and get stuck in traffic congestion to access BMC via Bandar Sungai Long.

The Pakatan Rakyat state government of Selangor has stated the piece of land belongs to the state and Grand Saga has no authority to build a barricade. Even if it is to be done on the side of land belonging to Grand Saga, approval from the Kajang Municipal Council and Malaysian Highway Authority is required. Perhaps the BMC residents should get a court order to prevent Grand Saga from constructing the barricade as the dismantling and reconstruction of the barricade will never end.