Bersih 2.0 launch: The show must go on


By Hazlan Zakaria | Jun 19, 11
Malaysiakini

To a clatter of drums and flashing placards, Bersih 2.0 chief S Ambiga launched the eight point demands of the free and fair elections advocacy coalition in Kuala Lumpur tonight.

The eight point demand will spearhead the massive Bersih 2.0 ‘Walk For Democracy’ planned for July 9 that has been hot topic all of last week.

Ambiga’s speech was read to the thunderous applause and cheers of the over 700 activists, civil society and NGO members crammed into the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

The crowd’s reception to the planned peaceful public demonstration was rousing, seemingly undaunted by the threats of counter rallies by Malay rights group Perkasa and Umno Youth as well as warnings of stern action by the authorities.

“As of now, the rally will go on,” assured Ambiga, adding that whatever happened to her personally would not impede the plans for event as the walk represents the wishes of the rakyat.

Earlier Perkasa promised to counter Bersih’s march with their own until the latter backs down, stomping on images of Ambiga and making a plethora of threats.

As the day developed, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim threw a gauntlet to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that if the premier can assure free and fair elections by tomorrow, he would ask Ambiga to call off the Bersih rally.

Undaunted, Ambiga said the rally was “not about me” and it was not Anwar’s place to make such a call to halt the people’s demand for a fair and free electoral process.

Malaysians abroad marching along

Ambiga meanwhile also announced that Malaysians and supporters of democracy overseas will also be holding peaceful demonstrations in front of their respective Malaysian embassies or high commissions in solidarity with Bersih 2.0.

At 2pm local time on July 9, simultaneous demonstrations will be held in London, Canberra and Sydney as well as Taiwan..

These overseas demonstrations will show that Malaysians everywhere are united in the cause for free and fair elections in the country, she said.

Earlier when approached by reporters before the launch, Ambiga rubbished Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim’s allegations that hackers who had crippled 41 government websites last week were linked to the electoral reform movement.

“We are not great,” she joked, calling the claims farfetched.

  1. #1 by Comrade on Monday, 20 June 2011 - 12:03 pm

    Bersih 2.0 rally is for a noble cause
    The organisers deserve the big applause
    No matter what, the show must go on
    Electoral justice must be won

  2. #2 by dagen on Monday, 20 June 2011 - 1:04 pm

    Let the party begin!

  3. #3 by monsterball on Monday, 20 June 2011 - 1:50 pm

    Accuse BERSIH hacking 41 govt sites.
    Accuse BERSIH NOT clean but KOTOR.
    Accuse BERSIH chief Ambiga…a trouble maker.
    MCA warning members not to walk.. or face a sack from the party..if found supporting BERSIH.
    BERSIH means CLEAN…and BERSIH walking for clean government and 13 GE.
    What are the fuss..all about?
    Why was Ambiga..a welknown respected Non Government Organisation..{NGO} leader…banned from entering Sarawak…to watch the Sarawak election….while Turkey… welcome Anwar and 15 foreigners to observe their election?
    Here…even our own Malaysians is banned from observing.
    So guilty are our corrupted lot in the government…they have no more sense of logic and proportion for right and good left .
    They lost all their dignities…and principles in life…sold their souls to the Devil.

  4. #4 by Bigjoe on Monday, 20 June 2011 - 3:45 pm

    NO ONE can stop Bersih. They could disrupt it but can not even mess it up. It simply too big for FRU, Perkasa, UMNO Youth. Sheer numbers is going to overwhelm them. They would have to bring the Army out to actually cause a mess. Even if they put a gun to Ambiga’s head now, she would not be able to stop it. If the arrests all the organisers which number in a hundred or so, it could trigger a Tahrir Square..

  5. #5 by Joshua on Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - 5:05 am

    dont trust the BN and its agencies such as EC and the Courts..

    http://ge-2004-2008.blogspot.com/2009/01/in-defence-of-public-interest-appeal.html

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