By FMT Staff
July 11, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today
PETALING JAYA: There are many casualties in the Bersih 2.0 rally – police, mainstream media and the Election Commission (EC) – but the biggest loser is Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, says DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang.
He said that the rally on Saturday saw the death of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept but the birth of a true Bersih 1Malaysia.
“(On that day), Malaysians of all races, religions, gender and age walked tall despite police threats, teargas, water cannons and sustained media demonisation to reaffirm their faith in a clean Malaysia…,” he said in his blog posting today.
He added that Najib and his strategists are aware that the prime minister is in deep political trouble because of the gross mishandling of the Bersih 2.0 rally.
He claimed that was the reason why Najib called for an instant Umno-organised special information briefing for Umno officials, Umno-linked NGOs and heads of government-linked companies yesterday.
Najib also took a walkabout at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Masjid India, the two “hotspots” of the Bersih 2.0 rally.
However, Lim said Najib’s credibility has plummeted to a new low as a result of the gross mishandling of the peaceful assembly.
He added that this is why more than 100,000 Facebook users want Najib to resign in the wake of the heavy-handed police against the Bersih supporters.
“This is the most eloquent response to Najib’s call yesterday on the ‘silent majority’ of Malaysians to make their stand in cyberspace on the Bersih 2.0 rally.
“The ‘silent majority’ has indeed spoken out loud and clear in the most viral phenomenon on Malaysian cyberspace, denouncing Najib’s crackdown.”
Nadir point
Lim said that Najib’s popularity has reached a nadir point since becoming prime minister 27 months ago – all because of flip-flop leadership reminiscent of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, which caused the former prime minister’s undoing.
“What is most shocking is the denial complex afflicting the national leadership,” he said, citing Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar who denied that police fired tear gas into Tung Shin Hospital and at Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat leaders at the enclosed KL Sentral tunnel.
He said that Ismail claimed that there were only 6,000 people supporting Bersih 2.0 rally when 50,000 had turned out.
“Yet the police mobilised a 7,000-strong force and arrested 1,667 men, women and children – the largest mass arrests in Malaysian history!”
“Can Najib save his premiership, make amends and reconnect with the Bersih 1Malaysia citizens… who want a clean Malaysia in elections, political system or national governance?” he asked.
Lim said that for Najib to reconnect with the newfound generation of Bersih 1Malaysia, he must take the following measures: