By Ambiga Sreenevasan
Malaysiakini
Aug 20, 2015
COMMENT We have to fix this nation for the next generation. We cannot hand them a broken nation
There is no change in the usual anti-Bersih rhetoric. “It is anti-government, it will ruin businesses, it will cause chaos.”
Pictures of (Bersih chairperson) Maria (Chin Abdullah) are being defiled. They have simply run out of ideas, and no one is really listening to them.
Judging by the thousands of t-shirts being sold every day, Bersih 4 is set to see a massive turn out. Why? Because people are sick to death of the dishonest governance of our beautiful nation.
And it is time our leaders know they are not fooling us with their ridiculous responses.
It is time they know that they have crossed all bounds of decency and that they have hurt the nation and its people. It is also time they realise just how much we, the rakyat, love this country.
They have all the power, yes. They want to hang onto it, yes. But we have the power of truth.
We have to fix this nation for the next generation. We cannot hand them a broken nation with a debt that they have to pay for the rest of their lives. We need to hand them a nation that is built on the fundamentals of strong institutions, with honest leaders.
An empowerment
So I would say to the police and other enforcement officers – by all means do your duty, but be fair. We are the rakyat, not your enemies.
In fact, we are fighting for your children’s future too. Would you not want a Malaysia where our democracy is strong, and where there is a fair distribution of wealth?
We will gather peacefully on the 29th and 30th. That is our right. When you see us, remember that we are there because we love our country.
To our leaders I say, you have no idea what it is like to walk with the rakyat. It is empowering.
You should come, if only to reconnect with us and see how we feel. You may not agree with all our demands but you will show that you nevertheless respect our right to gather and speak.
To everyone else, see you at Bersih 4!
AMBIGA SREENEVASAN is the former co-chairperson of Bersih and former president of the Malaysian Bar.