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I am proud to be Malaysian

By May Chee Chook Ying
July 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 11 — On Friday, after checking into the Swiss Garden Hotel at around 5pm, I sent an SMS to my good friend Kim which said: “Just checked into the Swiss Garden Hotel for my second honeymoon. Going for a picnic tomorrow at 2pm at Stadium Merdeka. Please pray for all of us gathered there, that everything will be peaceful.”

When asked whether he wanted a room with single beds or one with a king-size bed, we were requested to check into the Residence after my husband asked for the latter. Later, we took a stroll down Bukit Bintang Road and I was rather surprised at how things have changed. Continue reading “I am proud to be Malaysian”

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Malaysians Resort To Facebook To Voice Out Their Opinions

By Dinesh Karthikesu
July 10, 2011

Malaysia, according to a recent report by greyreview, is home to more than 11 million Facebook users, and is Asia’s No. 4 Facebook nation behind Indonesia, India and the Philippines respectively. Malaysians however, aren’t just using this ingenious creation to keep in touch with their friends, and to have some social fun. They’ve actually resorted to Facebook to voice out their opinions, and to make themselves heard, and to be perfectly honest with you, they are doing a pretty good job at it.

In the wake of the recent Bersih 2.0 rally that took place in Malaysia, as well as several other countries by concerned Malaysians, several Facebook pages have been set-up by angry, and dissatisfied Malaysians.

A Facebook page was registered under the title, “100,000 People Request Najib Tun Razak’s Resignation“, and moments later, people started flooding the page. The page went viral, and has 52,802 ‘likes’ as I type this. The best part of it? Well, the page has been up for less than a day! Instead of blatantly insulting their leader, who is under immense pressure right now, they figured that being united would be the best way to achieve their goal of having a good government. Some use the page as a medium to share shocking facts, and revelations related to the country’s government. Continue reading “Malaysians Resort To Facebook To Voice Out Their Opinions”

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An inconvenient focus

By Jema Khan
July 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 11 — The Bersih 2.0 rally on Saturday where tens of thousands of Malaysians demonstrated appeared to be more spontaneous than precision planned. Although we all knew that July 9th was the day for the rally, there was hope that it would be held in a stadium and that any disruptions would be minimised. It appears that even the intercession of the King was not enough for the police to provide a proper venue for Bersih to air their grouses.

The police warned us that they were in effect “locking down” Kuala Lumpur and that anyone suspected of being involved with Bersih would be arrested. As it happened, they arrested a total of more than 1,600 Malaysians. Continue reading “An inconvenient focus”

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DAP never asked Chinese to avoid Bersih, says Guan Eng

By Yow Hong Chieh
July 10, 201 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — The DAP did not send out any text messages asking the Chinese not to attend yesterday’s Bersih rally, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today..

He stressed that the only messages sent out by the party were those encouraging people to turn up at the rally for free and fair elections.

“This is a lie. No DAP leader sent out (messages) asking the Chinese not to go out and to let Malays fight each other,” said Lim.

“Anti-Bersih elements are trying to sabotage the relationship (between component parties) in PR but this will not work.” Continue reading “DAP never asked Chinese to avoid Bersih, says Guan Eng”

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Family says police responsible for Bersih death

By Yow Hong Chieh
July 10, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — The brother of Baharuddin Ahmad, who died yesterday after collapsing during the Bersih rally, has blamed the death on a “deliberate act of cruelty” by the police.

Kassim Ahmad, 72, told The Malaysian Insider his brother had died because the police had withheld medical aid from Baharudin after he collapsed while running away from tear gas and water cannon bombardment.

“[They] asked the police to help send him to hospital but they refused, so we waited for one-and-a-half hours before the van came,” he said.

“A lot of people tried to revive him … Had he been given oxygen, he would be alive today.” Continue reading “Family says police responsible for Bersih death”

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Firmness without justice or manners

By Hafiz Yatim
Jul 10, 11 | MalaysiaKini

COMMENT The motto for the Royal Malaysian Police Force is Tegas (Firmness), Adil (Just), and Berhemah (Well-mannered) But was it practised in its crackdown on the Bersih 2.0 demonstrators yesterday?

There is much mention over the Inspector General Standing Orders (IGSO) which is under the Official Secrets Act. But were such guidelines employed by the force?

Witnessing the event live on the field among the demonstrators and law enforcement officers, I have to say I have my doubts over the manner and professionalism as to how our police reacted in handling such a pressure cooker situation! Continue reading “Firmness without justice or manners”

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Countering the anti-Bersih talk

By Azmil Tayeb
July 10, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 10 — To those who support the recent Bersih 2.0 rally for clean elections we’ve heard the same old tired detracting canards propounded by the Malaysian mainstream media echo chamber, which were later parroted by our own family members and friends.

Truth be told, it got to the point where I simply refused to dignify their “anti-Bersih” arguments with sound intellectual responses because I think they were too frivolous and didn’t deserve any.

Still, I also have this nagging need to clear the air for once and for all especially now in the aftermath of the event. The dust has finally settled and the facts have naturally emerged from the battle-scarred ground. Continue reading “Countering the anti-Bersih talk”

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‘Lady of Liberty’ at Bersih march draws online support

By Clara Chooi
July 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Quiet has settled over Saturday’s chaos but one image is still making waves on the Internet — the picture of an elderly woman in yellow, drenched in rain and chemical-laced water, walking away from riot police while clutching on to a long-stemmed flower and a near-empty mineral water bottle.

She is Annie Ooi Siew Lan, a 65-year-old retired English teacher who took a bus from Setapak in the early morning of July 9 to join thousands of others in Bersih 2.0’s march for free and fair elections. An unknown man had offered her the flower in the morning and she waved it like a flag throughout the four-hour march. Continue reading “‘Lady of Liberty’ at Bersih march draws online support”

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Bersih’s legacy – the eradication of fear

By Lee Min Keong
Jul 11, 11 | MalaysiaKini

COMMENT Despite weeks of threats and intimidation over the Bersih 2.0 rally and a massive operation to lock down Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, my wife and I joined tens of thousands of Malaysians from all walks of life to give the government a simple message – give us free and fair elections, true democracy and a better future for our children.

Walking down traffic-free downtown Kuala Lumpur near Petaling Street at about noon, I see people representing a cross-section of Malaysian society congregating, patiently waiting for the Bersih rally to start. Continue reading “Bersih’s legacy – the eradication of fear”

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Weighing the political cost of July 9

By Ooi Kee Beng
July 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 11 — After the events of July 9 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak could be making a mistake if he calls snap elections any time soon.

A day after the police suppression of the Bersih 2.0 demonstration, he continued using a confrontational tone in public,and seemed to play more the role of United Malays National Organisation (Umno) party leader than of Malaysia’s national leader. This strongly suggests that he is psyching himself and his party into election mode. Continue reading “Weighing the political cost of July 9”

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My Bersih 2.0 Experience

By Marina Mahathir

So I went.

I have to say that the night before I had many many misgivings, especially after reading about the army doing exercises with the FRU. Could the government seriously be contemplating shooting their own people? Who knows? My stomach was in knots thinking about the many young people I knew who were intent on going, including my daughter. Would I be able to forgive myself if something happened to them?

After seeking advice from various friends, I finally decided that I could not stay safely at home while my daughter, friends and colleagues faced possible danger. I had to walk with them. Besides even if I stayed home, I would have spent all my time worrying. So I had to go. Continue reading “My Bersih 2.0 Experience”

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The debacle of mishandling

By Hsu Dar Ren
July 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 11 — The dust has settled from the Bersih 2.0 march and life is now back to normal.

The much-anticipated rally took place and despite the heavy clampdown, shutting KL-bound roads and diverting traffic, an estimated 20,000 people walked in many parts of the city to express their wish for a cleaner and more transparent election process.

With all due respect, the authorities could have handled this rally in a much more civil and humane way, since this was as an initiative by civil society ( a coalition of 62 NGOs) to ask for something which should by right should be provided without even having to ask. Continue reading “The debacle of mishandling”

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Bersih, the humbling of government

By Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 10, 2011

JULY 10 — And then the whole country erupts into chaos. This is what I’m worried about. The government also keeps flip-flopping on whether it will allow the rally to go on or not. It needs to rule with a firmer hand!”

Now Ibrahim Ali is making sense. The whole country erupts into chaos because this country hasn’t got a firm leadership.

But how does Ibrahim Ali define firm? By applying the big stick on Ambiga? On Bersih? It seems according to Ibrahim, general of Perkasa, Malay of the Malays, the government is firm only if they lock up Ambiga (who’s trying to undermine the Malays, who is a threat to Islam etc.). The government is firm only when it does the bidding of Ibrahim Ali.

It depends who is defining what. Some people will say the government is firm if it arrests Ibrahim Ali and leaders of martial arts groups who subvert the legal apparatuses of coercion in this country- the police and the military. By not reigning in the forces of ‘our 3rd line of defence’ the government is sending messages that other groupings can elevate their questionable statuses into respectable 3rd line defence forces. Continue reading “Bersih, the humbling of government”

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709 marks the empowerment of the real 1Malaysia

“709” will go down in Malaysian history as the day of empowerment of the real 1Malaysia – where all races and religions came together to demand a “Clean Malaysia”, not just for clean elections but also in the political system and all aspects of national governance.

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak coined the 1Malaysia slogan on taking office in April 2009 but it has been pure gimmicry in the past two years and three months – reduced to 1Malaysia T-shirt 1Malaysia Tupperware circus.

But it was yesterday that Malaysians of all races and religions who gave true meaning to a 1Malaysia by coming out in tens of thousands in the federal capital to support Bersih’s call for free, fair and clean elections. This is something Najib can never understand. Continue reading “709 marks the empowerment of the real 1Malaysia”

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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.
Continue reading “2pm, July 9th, Stadium MERDEKA: Malaysia’s moment of truth”

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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?
Continue reading “Bersih supporters are Malaysians too”

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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.
Continue reading “How low can you go”

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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”