Jeers and Cheers on Polling Day (Bukit Selambau)

Coverage done by me during Polling Day at Bukit Selambau.

TEAR GAS Prevention, Protection & Remedies

Prevention:

For most healthy people, the effects of tear gas and pepper spray are temporary. However, for some people the effects can be long-lasting and life-threatening.

People with the conditions listed below should be aware of these risks and may want to try and avoid exposure. Please be aware that in intense actions, police behavior can be unpredictable, and avoidance is not always possible.

Conditions:

• Folks with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, etc. risk exacerbation, or permanent damage if exposed.
  
  
  
• Vulnerable people such as infants, the elderly, and the immune compromised, risk intensified and possibly life-threatening responses.
  
  
  
• Anyone with chronic health conditions or those on medications that weaken the immune system, (ie: chemotherapy, Lupus, HIV, radiation, or long-term corticosteroids such as prednisone) risk exacerbation of illness, intensified response and possible delayed recovery.
  
  
  
• Women who are or could be pregnant, or who are trying to get pregnant, may be at risk of spontaneous abortion, or increased risk of birth defects. 
  
  
  
• Nursing mothers risk passing toxins on to their infant.
  
  
  
• Folks with skin conditions (ie: severe acne, psoriasis, or eczema) and eye conditions (ie: conjunctivitis or uveitis) risk an intensified response. 
  
  
  
• People wearing contact lenses may experience increased eye irritation and damage due to chemicals being trapped under the lenses.

Protection:

• Avoid use of oils, lotions and detergents because they can trap the chemicals and thereby prolong exposure. Wash your clothes, your hair and your skin beforehand in a detergent-free soap (such as Dr.Bronner's or most eco-friendly products). 
  
  
  
• We recommend using a water or alcohol-based sunscreen (rather than oil-based). If your choice is between oil-based or nothing, we advocate using the sunscreen. Getting pepper sprayed on top of a sunburn is not fun.
  
  
  
• We also recommend minimizing skin exposure by covering up as much as possible. This can also protect you from the sun, as can a big hat.
  
  
  
• Gas masks provide the best facial protection, if properly fitted and sealed. Alternatively, goggles (with shatter-proof lenses), respirators, even a wet bandana over the nose and mouth will help.

How to deal:

• STAY CALM. Panicking increases the irritation. Breathe slowly and remember it is only temporary.
  
  
  
• If you see it coming or get a warning, put on protective gear, if able, try to move away or get upwind.
  
  
  
• Blow your nose, rinse your mouth, cough and spit. Try not to swallow.
  
  
  
• If you wear contacts, try to remove the lenses or get someone to remove them for you, with CLEAN, uncontaminated fingers.
  
  
  
• DO NOT RUB IT IN.

Remedies

We have been doing trials with pepper spray to find good remedies and have found some things will definitely help minimize the discomfort. None of these are miracle cures; using these remedies will help people to feel better faster, but it will still take time.

For the eyes and mouth: 

We recommend a solution of half liquid antacid (like Maalox) and half water. A spray bottle is ideal but a bottle that has a squirt cap works as well. Always irrigate from the inside corner of the eye towards the outside, with head tilted back and slightly towards the side being rinsed. It seems from our trials that it needs to get into the eye to help. This means that if the sprayed person says it's okay you should try to open their eye for them. They most likely won't be able/willing to open it themselves, and opening will cause a temporary increase in pain, but the solution does help. It works great as a mouth rinse too. 

For the skin: 

We recommend canola oil followed by alcohol. Carefully avoiding the eyes, vigorously wipe the skin that was exposed to the chemical with a rag or gauze sponge saturated with canola oil. Follow this immediately with a rubbing of alcohol. Remember that alcohol in the eyes hurts A LOT. Anyone whose eyes you get alcohol in will not be your friend.

Secondary treatments can include: spitting, blowing your nose, coughing up mucous (you don't want to swallow these chemicals!), walking around with your arms outstretched, removing contaminated clothing, and taking a cool shower. In fact, it is essential to shower and wash your clothes (this time in real detergents--no eco-friendly stuff here) as soon as you are able. This chemical is toxic, and will continually contaminate you and everyone around you until you get rid of it. Until then, try not to touch your eyes or your face, or other people, furniture, carpets etc. to avoid further contamination. 

Remember, it is only temporary, and we are extremely strong.

(Courtesy of starhawk.org)

What is TEAR GAS?

I will probably be covering the happenings in Bukit Selambau with a fellow Citizen Journalist this weekend and with the FRUs frequently using tear gas and water cannon on the public, I thought I should prepare myself and share some knowledge about tear gas with you, well, you'll never know, just in case.

Tear gas is used both by the police for crowd control, and by individuals for self defense. According to experts there are 

three kinds of tear gas a consumer can buy:

• CS (chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile)
• CN (chloroacetophenone) - often sold as Mace
• Pepper spray - made from chili peppers mixed with a vehicle like corn oil

CS is stronger than CN but wears off more quickly.

Tear gas that you hear about on the news, in the form of CN or CS, is often used by law enforcement when they are faced with a combative crowd. The tear gas is launched in the form of grenades or aerosol can so that the liquid becomes an aerosol. Both CN and CS are irritants -- they irritate mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, and cause tearing, sneezing, coughing, etc.

Pepper spray is an inflammatory agent that causes inflammation in the eyes, nose and mouth. Its effect is more debilitating, but you have to hit someone with it directly for it to be effective. This makes it more useful for self-defense against an individual. It is also useful against attacking dogs and bears.

(Courtesy of howstuffworks.com)

How They Affect You:

Both tear gas and pepper spray are skin irritants, causing burning pain and excess drainage from eyes, nose, mouth and breathing passages. Pepper spray is more popular with authorities as an agent of control because of its immediate pain-causing qualities. It is harder to remove from the skin and has the capacity to cause first degree burns.

If you are exposed to either, you may experience:

• stinging, burning in your eyes, nose, mouth and skin
  
  
• excessive tearing, causing your vision to blur
  
  
• runny nose
  
  
• increased salivation
  
  
• coughing and difficulty breathing
  
  
• disorientation, confusion and sometimes panic 
  
  
• intense anger from pepper spray exposure is a common response; this can be useful if you are prepared for it and are able to focus it towards recovery and returning to the action.

The good news is that this is temporary.

Discomfort from tear gas usually disappears after 5-30 minutes, while the worst pepper spray discomfort may take 20 minutes to 2 hours to subside. The effects of both diminish sooner with treatment. Because pepper spray penetrates to the nerve endings, its effects may last for hours after removal from the skin.

There are many myths about treatment and prevention. Much of this misinformation is potentially dangerous. Some of it, if applied, could greatly increase or prolong a person's reaction to exposure, or at the very least provide a false sense of security.

(Courtesy of starhawk.org)

Anwar Ibrahim in Bukit Gantang, Perak.

Video taken from Malaysia Kini TV.

Will Elizabeth Wong say,"Thanks Khalid, but no thanks."

With the political turmoil brewing in other parts of country, the UMNO general elections and the coming PKR vs BN by elections in Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang and Batang Air, anyone able from the Opposition, with two hands and legs and a keen sense of putting the people's interest in mind, is definitely needed to add on to the numbers to the Opposition's camp. Most of us know that the coming by elections are "designed" to ensure that mass support from the Opposition camp is minimized at each constituency.

With several opposition big guns under fire, PKR will be wise not to sacrifice another hardworking and influential assemblywomen like Elizabeth Wong to beef up the strength of the opposition party. 

Elizabeth Wong being the Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman had offered her resignation following semi nude photos of her being published in the Internet in February 2009. She was then asked to take leave to cool things down until the state of Selangor decides her fate. 

Those under fire are Karpal Singh for the Sultan suing thing, Nizar still in court fighting for his Perak MB title, V. Arumugam of Bkt. Selambau missing in action, Gobind slapped with a one year suspension for calling DPM Najib Razak a murderer, Penang DCM Mohamad Fairus taking leave without any reason (smells fishy) and Anwar with the sodomy case, let me see, who else? Oh yes, finally, the Tree of Democracy. In this case, the more is definitely not the merrier.

We need our voices to be heard in the Dewan Rakyat and by the rate the Opposition reps are going, we will be out of them by end of this year. If you are not in the Dewan Rakyat, then you are no use to us as we don't need your voice outside the Dewan Rakyat, we need your voice inside, numb skull!

In the last general elections, voters like me had provided the opportunity for the Opposition to have a "louder" say, but if you guys do not know how to "behave" and use your "common sense" to get things around BN, then you are not tuned to the 51 years of BN control. 

I guess I am a little off track here, so coming back to Elizabeth Wong, it is crucial that she still have the urge to represent the people again, end of the day, it is still her decision to accept or reject the final conclusion from the state of Selangor. Anyway, she should put aside her personal issues and come back with a stronger and wiser Elizabeth Wong.

SHAH ALAM, March 20 — Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said today he would make an announcement on the status of state executive councillor and Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman Elizabeth Wong on Wednesday.

He told this to reporters after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting today.

Wong had offered to quit as assemblywoman and exco following semi-nude pictures of her surfacing on the Internet last month but was asked to go on leave instead until the Selangor government made a decision as to her political future.

On the restructuring of the water industry in Selangor, Abdul Khalid said the state government was still negotiating the matter with the federal government and was confident any differences between the two parties could be resolved amicably. — Bernama

Perakians to decide

Now that's a smart person talking. The people of Perak has been asking for this from the beginning ever since the "rampasan kuasa" by BN. New MB suspended with his excos because of some kind of misconduct or was it someone complained about them, old MB suing the new MB for things that nearly half of the Perakians do not understand (too many lawyer language), everything is too "technical". While you guys are fighting in court, do you have time for the rakyat? So what if one side wins due to technicality, it is just like a technical knock out in boxing, not like a real Knock Out which is decisive and final. If you don't stand up by the tenth counts, you are out! So, put up your gloves and stop wasting people's time.

KUALA LUMPUR: The legal wrangle in Perak is best settled by going back to the people for an effective and definitive solution, said Bar Council president Datuk S.Ambiga.


“There is a reality on the ground that we must face. While we wrestle with these constitutional and legal issues, the legal actions are not the first and are unlikely to be the last.


“This does not provide an effective and definitive solution,” said Ambiga in a press statement.


The Bar urged all parties to seriously consider doing so, not only in the interest of Perak folks, but also in the interest of stability and the nation