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We will not be cowed, says Bersih

S Pathmawathy | May 21, 2012
Malaysiakini

Bersih, the coalition for clean and fair elections, will continue with its nationwide roadshow despite a recent threat, co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said today.

“It was targeted at me, but nothing will change. Our campaign is about voter education and it will go on,” she said when contacted today.

Ambiga had been told to stay away from an event in Merlimau, Malacca, last Saturday after a number of local pressure groups lodged police reports objecting to her presence.

A group of angry individuals later pelted two DAP state assemblypersons and supporters with eggs and stones.

“In fact, acts like this are also part and parcel of voter education – it allows voters to make decisions as to whether this is the kind of Malaysia they want to live in. (It) allows them to decide if this is the kind of institution they want to vote for.” Continue reading “We will not be cowed, says Bersih”

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It’s not about Anwar or Ambiga

— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
May 21, 2012

MAY 21 — Let me put an end to the fastest-growing cottage industry in Malaysia: attacking and demonising the likes of Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng, Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Millions of ringgit are being earned by bloggers, phantom writers, politicians, operatives, PR agencies and anyone with a plan or video or story to “damage” Pakatan Rakyat or Bersih leaders. The thinking from Putrajaya is that if these leaders are “killed off” then the momentum behind the opposition and those behind the call for electoral reform will be ended.

That is why the mainstream media has sunk to the lowest of low with lies and that is why the likes of Hasan Ali and Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim are being given unparalleled coverage by the Media Prima media group to hammer their former political colleagues.

But let me tell the patrons of videos, bum exercises, threats, etc the reality: the awakening of Malaysia’s middle class and urban population does not depend on whether Anwar is around or whether Ambiga is leading Bersih. Continue reading “It’s not about Anwar or Ambiga”

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End the charade of an Hanif “independent” probe which is part of the “demonization” campaign of Bersih 3.0 as proven by Hanif’s anti-Bersih comments

The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein started his interview on Bersih 3.0 with Sunday Star yesterday entitled “The search for the real story” with the following statement:

“Now that the temperature has lowered and emotions have subsided, we should look at the incident in a more rational manner”.

I studied Hishammuddin’s interview but could not find any evidence that the government or Hishammuddin at least is prepared to view the Bersih 3.0 demonstration in “a more rational manner” so that Malaysians, the government, police, civil society and the ordinary citizenry, can learn the right lessons from Bersih 3.0 and reach a closure with Malaysia taking one giant step towards the objective of “the best democracy in the world” – a goal purportedly espoused by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself.

In the past three weeks, the government failed to assure Malaysians and the world both by word and deed that there would be an independent, credible, thorough and legitimate investigation to find out the truth of what went wrong on April 28, the facts and causes of the incidents of violence and brutality, regardless of whether the victims were police personnel, media representatives or peaceful protestors.

These incidents of violence and brutality marred the Bersih 3.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur from being the most historic, momentous, unifying and empowering experience for Malaysians regardless race, religion, region, class, age or gender who gathered in peace and patriotism to support a common national cause for clean elections and a clean Malaysia. Continue reading “End the charade of an Hanif “independent” probe which is part of the “demonization” campaign of Bersih 3.0 as proven by Hanif’s anti-Bersih comments”

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Malaysia: the electoral race gets tighter

Author: Vikram Nehru, Carnegie Endowment | May 17th, 2012
East Asia Forum

There is growing speculation that the 13th Malaysian general elections will be held in June this year, the prospect of which is raising political temperatures.

But massive demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur on 28 April organised by Bersih, a civil society coalition for clean and fair elections, may have thrown a spoke in the government’s wheels. The demonstrations ended in tear gas and pitched street battles, and some 380 people were arrested. The inevitable finger-pointing that followed between Bersih and the police masks a more important point relating to the popular belief that Malaysia’s election system is rigged in favour of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

Malaysia’s Election Commission has been at pains to announce that it has implemented many of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms, which conducted a genuine and nationwide consultative process. One recommendation being implemented is the use of indelible ink to prevent voter fraud — a recommendation put forward by Bersih itself. The Election Commission also scrutinised the electoral rolls and found few irregularities, but public distrust in the electoral process is so deep that this result appears to carry little credibility. The accuracy of the electoral poll in Malaysia is indeed a critical matter that must be beyond reproach. There are several swing states where small margins can change the national result significantly.
Continue reading “Malaysia: the electoral race gets tighter”

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BN government should call off the Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign as the first step to prove to Malaysians that it is capable of responding rationally and responsibly to legitimate demands for clean elections

The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in today’s press that Malaysians should view the Bersih 3.0 demonstration in a more rational manner and look at the Government’s concern over what could go wrong if people took to the streets.

Unfortunately, in the past three weeks after the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, the government as represented by the Home Minister and the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak have themselves failed this simple test of acting in “a more rational manner” to address.the controversies of what went wrong on April 28 resulting in the incidents of violence and brutality, regardless of whether the victims were police personnel, media representatives or peaceful protestors.

Najib and Hishammuddin should call off the Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign to paint Bersih 3.0, the organizers and participants, in the worst and most sinister light, as the first step for the BN government to prove to Malaysians that it is capable of responding rationally and responsibly to the people’s legitimate demands for clean elections.

The Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign started with the wild and irresponsible allegation by the Prime Minister that it was an anti-national conspiracy which included a coup attempt by the Opposition to topple the government, which conspiracy theory was immediately given blind and unthinking support by the former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar when there was no iota of evidence; culminating in the “Great Lie and Spin” on TV1 on Sunday when the government station telecast a 30-minute “documentary” entitled “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor” to poison the minds of viewers about Bersih 3.0.

What the BN spin-masters did not realise is that the hundreds of thousands of Malaysians who gathered peacefully in Kuala Lumpur in response to the call of Bersih 3.0, and the millions who have direct information of what actually happened on April 28, could not identify with TV1 programme or agree that Bersih 3.0 was some grand or evil conspiracy to cause violence, unrest and even toppling of the government! Continue reading “BN government should call off the Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign as the first step to prove to Malaysians that it is capable of responding rationally and responsibly to legitimate demands for clean elections”

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Question to Najib for June Parliament – “would he give categorical assurance to accept verdict of voters in 13GE, including change of government in Putrajaya”?

Yesterday was the last day for the submission of questions by Members of Parliament for the June meeting of Parliament which is to sit for 12 days from June 11 to 28.

No one can state for sure whether the June meeting of Parliament will be held or whether Parliament will be dissolved before June 11 for the 13th general elections to be held, as this is a decision which the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is agonizing over, even when abroad.

Be that as it may, if the June meeting of Parliament is held, I have put in a question for the Prime Minister, viz: “To ask the Prime Minister whether he would give categorical assurance that he, UMNO and Barisan Nasional would accept verdict of the voters in 13th General Election including change of government in Putrajaya.” Continue reading “Question to Najib for June Parliament – “would he give categorical assurance to accept verdict of voters in 13GE, including change of government in Putrajaya”?”

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Kalau sudah uzur, jangan buat kerja berat lagi… berehatlah

– Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
May 19, 2012

19 MEI – Pilihanraya dijangka sampai bila-bila masa sekarang. Ada yang membuat spekulasi yang ia akan diadakan pada bulan Jun dan ada yang merasakan ia akan diadakan pada bulan Julai. Tidak kurang pula yang merasakan PRU tidak perlu diadakan sekarang kerana tempoh tamatnya penggal ini adalah pada bulan April tahun hadapan. Orang yang boleh menentukan tarikh pilihanraya ini adalah PM Najib sahaja… bukan sesiapa yang lain.

Hanya Najib dirasakan belum lagi mendapat ilham untuk menentukan tarikh itu kerana kali ini bukannya senang untuk membubarkan Parlimen sebelum Najib merasakan sokongan orang ramai terhadap kerajaan belum pulih. Najib sehingga hari ini belum menampakkan keyakinan beliau yang BN sudah kembali pulih dari kegeringannya.

Seperti juga manusia yang dalam kegeringan, ia tidak boleh menentukan bila kah kesihatannya akan kembali pulih kerana orang yang dalam kegeringan hanya mempunyai dua kebarangkaliannya. Pertamanya ia akan pulih atau pun ia mati sahaja. Kenazakkan UMNO sudah begitu lama dan tidak siapa yang bolih menentukan nasib masa depannya. Continue reading “Kalau sudah uzur, jangan buat kerja berat lagi… berehatlah”

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Do not underestimate Malaysians, says Ambiga

Hafiz Yatim | May 19, 2012
Malaysiakini

The Bersih 3.0 rally may be three weeks old, but for the organisers co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan it is still not too late to pay tribute to Malaysians for coming out in strength to show support.

Asked by Malaysiakini what had she learnt from the rally, Ambiga’s quick response was do not underestimate Malaysians.

She said Bersih is not about herself, in reality it is a ground-up movement.

“It is not mine, it’s not Pak Samad Said’s. We did not pay for them to come, and in fact they paid on their own for the T-shirts and transport. Some designed them on their own. The people have taken ownership of Bersih.

“It just captured the imagination of the people. What I have learnt from Bersih 3.0 is that do not underestimate Malaysians. It was a far bigger crowd than we had anticipated and we have to learn to be better prepared.

“I have also learnt that the authorities can actually go berserk. I am still reeling from the extent of the violence and this is a government which is looking liberal and yet they do this.

“My fear is to what extent they are prepared to go to curb dissent. I’m a bit disquieted about that,” she said. Continue reading “Do not underestimate Malaysians, says Ambiga”

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I feel terrible, says Ambiga

Stephanie Sta Maria
May 19, 2012
Free Malaysia Today

The horror endured by 19 victims of police brutality during the Bersih 3.0 rally has shocked the electoral watchdog’s chairperson.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga has heard countless accounts of police brutality taking place during the April 28 rally but she was still “deeply shocked” by those of 19 victims who shared their stories with the media this morning.

“I feel terrible,” Ambiga told FMT after the media conference at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH).

“Every time I hear a single one of these stories it gives me a deep shock. I’ve heard that one may even go blind and that is very shocking,” she said.

The narratives of the 19 victims were similar in that they were confronted by groups of unidentified policemen who beat them for either being a rally participant, recording the on-goings or attempting to help another victim. Continue reading “I feel terrible, says Ambiga”

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Statement by Concerned Scholars on Coming Elections

Saturday, 19 May 2012
Press Statement

The 13th Malaysian general elections will be held sometime between now and April 2013.

These elections have the potential to be the most free and fair elections held in the country for several decades.

For the coming elections to live up to this potential, we call on the government and other major players and stakeholders to scrupulously observe the following priority concerns which we see as key to ensuring an outcome that can have greater legitimacy among Malaysians and outside observers:

1. Implementation of recommendations of the Parliamentary select committee to clean up the electoral process
2. Free and fair access to mass media for all parties
3. Public service staff at local, state and federal levels to observe strict neutrality
4. Prohibition on misuse of Government and associated public facilities and apparatus for electioneering purposes
5 All parties to be transparent and accountable in the use of money during the elections. Both coalitions need to disclose their sources of funding and provide a detailed account of their campaign expenditure

To enable a more level playing field for the coming elections, it is necessary that these concerns be addressed immediately and not just before the elections. Continue reading “Statement by Concerned Scholars on Coming Elections”

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Time is on Pakatan Rakyat’s side – any delay in 13GE will provide more opportunity to debunk UMNO/BN lies and expose the “greatest lie” in 3-year Najib premiership that “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor”

Until the Bersih 3.0 rally of April 28, 2012, it was fairly certain that the 13th General Election will take place in June this year.

This certainty has now disappeared because the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has suffered another attack of hesitation and indecisiveness, as a result of the unprecedented support by Malaysians for fair, free and clean elections not only in various parts of the country and by the Malaysian Diaspora throughout the world but also by the hundreds of thousands of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, class, region, gender and age who gathered peacefully in Kuala Lumpur for the Bersih 3.0 “sit-in” at Dataran Merdeka on Aprl 28.

All the “tough talk” by Najib at the UMNO anniversary at Bukit Jalil Stadium on May 11 and the specious claim that the sea of red that night was bigger than the Bersih 3.0 sea of yellow on April 28 could not hide the fact that Najib’s confidence that June would be the best timing for him to call general elections had been greatly shaken.

With Najib again agonising on when to dissolve Parliament to go for national polls, the country is now back to the guessing game, whether the 13th general election is still in June, or pushed back to July, September or even later.

This reflects Najib’s realisation that although he may have secured high personal polls, his personal popularity could not be translated into high voting support for UMNO and Barisan Nasional and the next general elections is a veritable “do or die” battle for him, UMNO and Barisan Nasional. Continue reading “Time is on Pakatan Rakyat’s side – any delay in 13GE will provide more opportunity to debunk UMNO/BN lies and expose the “greatest lie” in 3-year Najib premiership that “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor””

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Ambiga: Tear gas aftermath, police responsibility

Hafiz Yatim | May 18, 2012
Malaysiakini

The April 28 violence erupted when police began firing tear gas at the historic Bersih 3.0 rally participants, said Besih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan.

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini on the Bersih 3.0 rally, she said that she was glad the organisers did not accept the stadium Merdeka offer, as things may have turned differently if that type of incident had occurred there, people would have been trapped.

The lawyer and former Bar Council president said four hours earlier between 10am and prior to the firing of the tear gas in the afternoon, the 250,000-strong crowd had been well behaved.

“In any such public assembly it is the joint responsibility of the government and the organisers. Look we do not have batons and we do not have the means (weapons) to go to the extent the police can.

“As far as we are concerned, we did our best as things were under control until the tear gas.

“Even if the barricades were breached they (police and our volunteers) could have stopped it. However, when the tear gas was fired you cannot hold us responsible.

“What happens after police take action is their responsibility. I am not condoning violence but everything happened after that it is their responsibility. Everything went berserk after that,” she said.

She added that police started shooting tear-gas canister after canister all over and continuously as the people were retreating. No warning given, she claimed. Continue reading “Ambiga: Tear gas aftermath, police responsibility”

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Support for Ambiga’s proposal for the calling off of the “thosai” plan outside Deputy IGP’s house to initiate a virtuous circle to restore decency and civility to politics and public life

The break-in attempt at the office of Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan in Damansara this morning is a matter of grave concern to rational and decent Malaysians, although full details of the attempted break-in have still to come in.

Rational and decent Malaysians want a return to the decency and civility of politics and public life, instead of growing desensitization to sense, sensibility and sensitivities as happened recently, for instance in the Perkasa “funeral rite” in front of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s house in Penang, the setting up of a burger stall in front of Ambiga’s house at Bukit Damansara and the disgraceful and deplorable “butt” dance by a group of armed forces veteran in front of Ambiga’s house.

For this reason, I support Ambiga’s proposal, as reported in Free Malaysia Today, asking the NGO, WargaAMAN, to reconsider its decision to set up a thosai stall outside Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar’s house on Sunday. Continue reading “Support for Ambiga’s proposal for the calling off of the “thosai” plan outside Deputy IGP’s house to initiate a virtuous circle to restore decency and civility to politics and public life”

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Slippery slope to lawlessness

— Aliran
The Malaysian Insider
May 17, 2012

MAY 17 — Aliran is shocked by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar’s glib reaction to the May 10 protest by Malaysian Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Alliance (Iklas) members outside Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan’s home.

“What offence? If you want to sit in front of her house without disrupting other people, there is no offence,” he states without a trace of human understanding.

“Which privacy? They didn’t enter her house, they were in public space,” he maintains without an inkling of the dangerous situation created by these trouble-makers intent on causing mischief outside Ambiga’s house.

Such comments coming from the No. 2 man in the police force no less encourage lawlessness and open the flood gates to mischief-makers, hooligans and thugs to go on a rampage. His comments are unacceptable and unbecoming of a police officer of his rank who is entrusted with the peace and harmony of this country founded on the supremacy of the Federal Constitution.

Already, spurred on by his comments, another bigger rally involving 500 traders has been planned for May 24. Continue reading “Slippery slope to lawlessness”

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Let us not forget free and fair elections

— Galvin Wong
The Malaysian Insider
May 17, 2012

MAY 17 — The last two weeks have been filled with events that have displayed violence, disrespect and the true character of politics. On April 28, we experienced Bersih 3.0, the biggest protest in our country’s history that started off on a good note but quickly degraded into an event of confusion and violence. The days that followed were filled with allegations and blame shifting from all parties involved. After that came the burger selling and bum exercise incidents in front of Ambiga Sreenevasan’s house. And just two days ago, DAP vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim ended a dispute he had with the party by resigning on national TV.

I write this article today not to talk about these incidents, but to remind us that all these incidents have stemmed from one issue we all fought for in July last year and in April this year — free and fair elections.

Our focus and the pressure placed on the government have both diminished and shifted away due to the many other incidents that have happened. One reason I feel the Election Commission has not done much since 2007 is because we failed to place constant pressure on them. The public scrutiny on their work came in waves, the 2007, 2011 and this year’s waves. After they weathered the short storm during these years, they went on in a business-as-usual mode, only succeeding in fulfilling ONE Bersih demand — the use of indelible ink. Continue reading “Let us not forget free and fair elections”

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Tak payah guna kepala, sekarang guna punggung pula

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
May 16, 2012

16 MEI — Saya berasa geli hati dengan gelagat Umno yang kian hari kian memalukan. Pagi semalam sekumpulan penyokong parti itu telah berbaris dihadapan kediaman Ambiga Sreenevasan, Pengerusi Bersih, dengan menonggeng dan menunjukkan bontot kepada rumah Ambiga.

Umno sudah menjadi parti lawak dan telah benar-benar jatuh martabatnya dengan sikap yang ditunjukkan oleh penyokong tegarnya itu.

Kemasukkan saya kedalam DAP dahulu disambut oleh seorang dua sebagai tindakan politik bangkrap. Tetapi sebenarnya apa yang berlaku semalam itu merupakan betul-betul politik bangkrap yang tidak ada tolok bandingnya.

Nampaknya politik Umno ini tidak lagi boleh lari dari bontot dan punggung, sejak 14 tahun yang lalu. Sudah tidak terlarat untuk membesarkan isu bontot dan punggung Saiful Bukhari, sekarang mereka memanjangkan lagi perjuangan berlandaskan kepada bontot dan punggung.

Dalam kesemua 213 negara yang berkerajaan di dunia ini, Malaysialah yang parti pemerintahnya mempertahankan kuasa dengan menggunakan bontot dan punggung dan ini amat memalukan. Saya tidak tahu bagaimana kah perasaan mereka-mereka ini semasa melakukan kerja keji ini. Continue reading “Tak payah guna kepala, sekarang guna punggung pula”

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Burgers and butts incidents reflect on nation’s leaders

JD Lovrenciear | May 15, 2012
Malaysiakini

Do you laugh or do you lose sleep? Do you cry or do you spit venom?

Indeed the antics staged by the followers of their political patrons clearly indicate that the very party leadership of these stooges who are into burger protests and butt protests in front of the revered Bersih co-chair Ambiga Sreenevasan’s residence, are just as helpless and hopeless, while their followers degrade their reputations even further.

Instead of issuing a stern warning against BN sympathisers for rolling politics in the slime, they allow them to carry on their disgusting and uncouth antics in front of Bersih’s leader. Continue reading “Burgers and butts incidents reflect on nation’s leaders”

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Mooning, Malaysia’s ultimate defence

— Jaleel Hameed
The Malaysian Insider
May 15, 2012

MAY 15 — All hail our army veterans. They only need their bottoms to defend the country from its enemies.

Today, I read in The Malaysian Insider that 10 retired soldiers “exercised” their bums this morning outside Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan’s Bukit Damansara home against the April 28 Bersih rally.

The members of the Malay Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVTM) did their “butt exercises” to protest against the Bersih chief for being an “enemy” of the nation, reports the news portal.

“We Armed Forces veterans have the right to protest against an ‘enemy’ who tried to smear the nation’s name,” said PVTM president Datuk Mohd Ali Baharom.

Of course, sir. Much obliged that despite your retirement, you are brave enough to take up arms to drop your pants in the face of the enemy.

As they say, if you can’t use your head, use your bottom. Well played, sir. Continue reading “Mooning, Malaysia’s ultimate defence”

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Bersih through an 18-year-old’s eyes

An A-levels student details his experiences and the lessons learnt during the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally.

By B Anand
Free Malaysia Today
May 15, 2012

COMMENT

Admittedly, this article might be a bit overdue, however it was mainly due to the fact that I’ve been bogged down with my upcoming A-levels. As I sat in front of my laptop the night before, watching the crowds assemble near Dataran, I was still mulling over whether or not I should attend.

A part of me posed the following questions: What if I get hurt, gassed or sprayed? What if I get arrested by the police? Was it wise to take such a risk right before such an important exam?

However, I also thought to myself: As a future law student, shouldn’t it be my duty to defend our right to protest? And more importantly, if ever I was forced to join the Malaysian diaspora, would I ever be able to forgive myself for not having tried fighting for my rights first?

In the end,regardless of the risks it posed, I felt that it was my duty to attend. Being 18, I am not yet eligible to vote; however I had always believed in the Bersih cause, as a clean and fair electoral system is the only way in which we could obtain a government that truly represented the interests of the people.

In addition to the above, I was also dumbfounded by the illogical reactions of certain quarters to the rally. And so, with vinegar soaked masks, swimming googles, earplugs, legal aid numbers saved on my phone, a towel, water and some food in my bag – I left the comfort of my home, ready for whatever might come. A part of me was excited to become a part of national history, however I would also be lying to say that I wasn’t nervous and expecting the worst. Continue reading “Bersih through an 18-year-old’s eyes”