Festive atmosphere during Pakatan convention

The Pakatan convention at Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim, Alor Setar, didn’t look like it was anything close to over, when it struck midnight on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of people, all gathered outside the stadium on the grass fields and on the pavements, listening to the talks by prominent Pakatan leaders.

Some sat on chairs, some sat right on the grass fields on their mats and newspapers, some even brought their children, who were found sound asleep in the open grounds with their mother’s lap as pillow for their heads.

For a crowd of that size, anyone would have expected only noise and chaos but instead it was extremely peaceful and organised.

Walking into the stadium grounds, gave a ‘pasar malam’ feel as there were abundant food and drink stalls to cater for the mass.

Crowds of people, kept their eyes open and ears pealed as they listened to the final two speakers for the night, Karpal Singh and Anwar Ibrahim.

As midnight struck, the spectators made a civilized exit in groups, to the string of cars parked along the shoulders of Jalan Suka Menanti.

A PAS supporter from Taiping, said that both he and his brother came all the way to Alor Setar, and said it was all worth the journey. Commenting on the clear weather, he further said thay they would have sat through it all in the open space, even if the rain came down.

A PKR supporter from Sungai Petani, said that he felt the support for PKR was 50-50 but now it has moved up to 80-20 with the acquittal of Anwar Ibrahim.

A Chinese PKR supporter, who wished to be anonymous, said that on the matter of ‘hudud’ law, it would not affect the non-Muslims and that the current government were just using the issue as an excuse to instill fear.