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2pm, July 9th, Stadium MERDEKA: Malaysia’s moment of truth

By BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee

Malaysians from all walks of life have travelled a very long road to reach this defining point in our nation’s history. With less than 24 hours to our intended peaceful gathering, our resolve to walk the last, most difficult mile as one united people in pursuit of clean and fair elections and a better Malaysia for all is firmer than ever.

Our reason for gathering is pure and simple – to demand the electoral roll be cleaned, that the postal voting system be reformed, that indelible ink be used, a minimum 21 day campaign period be instated, free and fair access to media for all be provided, public institutions be strengthened, and for corruption as well as dirty politics to be stopped.

The authorities have put obstacle after obstacle where they only needed to provide sincere cooperation to win the trust and confidence of the people. Having faced half hearted offers of stadiums, arrogance regarding meetings as well as denials of permits, arrests, detentions and so much more, we feel that we have done all that is humanly possible to demonstrate sincerity and good faith in dealing with the government – but we have only been met with reversed decisions and stone walls.
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Not too late for Najib to ensure that July 9 will not enter annals of Malaysia as a black day for democracy and human rights – worse than Operation Lalang in 1987

The world is astounded how a peaceful rally for free and fair elections could create such panic and paranoia for a democratic government as to cause it to jettison all lip-service commitments to democracy and human rights – as is happening in Malaysia.

The civilized world is watching with increasing alarm at the swift descent to “madness” in Malaysia where perfectly decent, civil and legitimate calls for free and fair elections is regarded by those in power as an even greater threat to its authority than by terrorist attacks or foreign invasion.

Is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s hold on power so fragile that a successful peaceful rally calling for free, fair a clean elections could as good as topple and end the 54-year rule of Umno and BN in Malaysia?

Is the UMNO and Barisan Nasional position in government so precarious that they have to challenge the just and wise intervention of the Yang di Pertuan Agong resulting in Bersih agreeing to abandon its July 9 march in favour of a stadium rally, which itself had the endorsement of the Prime Minister?
Continue reading “Not too late for Najib to ensure that July 9 will not enter annals of Malaysia as a black day for democracy and human rights – worse than Operation Lalang in 1987”

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Bersih supporters are Malaysians too

By Emmanuel Joseph | July 08, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

JULY 8 — Every single Malaysian should be outraged .The government’s response on Bersih so far has been disappointing, rash, highly immature, overtly political and downright ridiculous. The response of enforcement agencies supposedly independent of the government appears to mimic this incredulous, fear-mongering answer to calls for what are essentially the right of every basic democracy — proper elections.

Objections to this peaceful rally has been prayerfully chanted every 30 minutes or so on television, condemning, and mocking this rally, almost as if Bersih was conjuring a merry band of thugs to terrorise the neighbourhoods of KL. The confiscation of Bersih-related items are also uncalled for and with little basis. What harm can yellow T shirts and logos do the country?

The police’s absurd and outlandish reaction by posting roadblocks across the capital is a gross waste of resources. Given our police force still cannot nab, say the Bangsar acid splasher, what good will manning 240 stations across the city do other than bring traffic to a near standstill? I remember an MCA leader proclaiming Bersih would stop ambulances in their tracks. Whose conscience would it be if someone died because of these desperately illogical actions?
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How low can you go

By Shamini Darshni | July 08, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

JULY 8 — The whole political drama surrounding Bersih 2.0’s planned rally on Saturday has reached historical proportions — but at which end, whether incredibly ridiculous or incredibly ingenious, still begs decision.

On one hand, we have Bersih 2.0, with a committee made up of respected citizens with a deep understanding of electoral issues, bent on rallying for one cause: free and fair elections in a country that has been ruled by one multi-party coalition for over 50 years.

On the other hand, I know I am not the only who feels that there is a tactical game plan being rolled out to disable Bersih 2.0 and build anxiety among the general population.

Recently, as my dad, his German friend and I talked about Malaysia’s politics, my father pointed out that governments should realise that the people today have something that they might not have had 50 years ago: education.
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Kit Siang accepts challenge by Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman to a public debate in Kota Belud on the proposed Tambatuon Dam and suggests September date

The Sabah Daily Express on Wednesday 6th July 2011 carried a report of the Barisan Nasional Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan challenging me to an open debate regarding the proposed Tambatuon Dam.

The Daily Express report reads:

“Let’s debate: Rahman

“Kota Kinabalu: Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan on Tuesday challenged DAP Advisor Lim Kit Siang to an open debate regarding the proposed Tambatuon Dam.

“Expressing disappointment with the Ipoh Timur MP, he said the latter has been continuously instigating the people of Kg Tambatuon with misleading facts about the issue. Continue reading “Kit Siang accepts challenge by Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman to a public debate in Kota Belud on the proposed Tambatuon Dam and suggests September date”

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Running Scared in Malaysia

By John R. Malott
Wall Street Journal
July 8, 2011

Opinion The Malaysian government has pulled out all the stops to prevent an rally this weekend. This week, army units conducted crowd control exercises with banners that said, “Disperse or we will shoot!” The police set up roadblocks and arrested Malaysians simply for wearing yellow T-shirts, the signature color of Bersih, a coalition of 62 nongovernmental organizations that demands changes in Malaysia’s electoral system. To date, the police have arrested over 250 supporters of Bersih, claiming that they are “waging war against the king.”

Then something unprecedented happened. Malaysia’s King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, allegedly the target of Bersih’s campaign, intervened. He called on both Prime Minister Najib Razak and Bersih to resolve their differences in a spirit of harmony and cooperation, for the good of the nation. Continue reading “Running Scared in Malaysia”