"high drama" under a "tree"

[ensho]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/KC06Ae01.html


Malaysian democracy under a tree


An impromptu street-side legislative gathering under a tree has already been dubbed Pokok Demokrasi - or Democracy Tree - and is set to enter the annals of folklore in Ipoh, the capital city of Malaysia's Perak state.

In an open space beneath a 20-meter high raintree and another lush mango tree nearby, opposition lawmakers in Perak, peninsular Malaysia's second-largest state, held an emergency session on Tuesday as a crowd of several hundred looked on.

It was a morning of high drama, starting when riot police blocked the 28 legislators from entering parliament. After a brief tussle, they headed to the shade of the large tree, where Perak State Assembly speaker V Sivakumar, attired in his full ceremonial regalia, solemnly put forward three motions to the 27 elected assembly members from the opposition People's Alliance.

-snip holds the 3-

A moment of humor occurred when the speaker asked the elected representatives, "Setuju ?"

Instead of only the elected representatives responding, the whole crowd cheered and acclaimed, "Setuju!"

Elected representatives then had to urge the onlookers to maintain the solemn decorum of the proceedings. The crowd was told that the "Setuju" response was only to be made by the elected representatives.

One onlooker was heard muttering, "We are also part of this assembly. We have a right to express our confidence in the chief minister."

-snip-

It is therefore not surprising that many saw the open-air sitting of the State Assembly as a refreshing return to the basics of public participation in a democracy - a return of democracy to the people.

Some are already saying that the area where the Pokok Demokrasi stands should be declared a heritage site by a future government and the raintree made a symbol of democracy in Malaysia.
-snip-
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wonderful in more ways then one

[ensho]

1. kicking back to pg. 1 because trees are necessary to life

a tree shading democracy is ok with me