There are many casualties in the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally on Saturday especially the police, the mainstream media and the election commission but the biggest loser of all is undoubtedly the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
709 saw the death of Najib’s 1Malaysia but the birth of a true Bersih 1Malaysia where 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 where there are free and fair elections, a clean political system and incorrupt national governance.
Najib and his strategists are aware that the Prime Minister is in deep political trouble because of gross mishandling of the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally – hence the instant counter of an UMNO-organised Special Information Briefing for Umno officials, UMNO-linked NGOs and heads of government-linked companies yesterday and a walkabout by Najib at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Masjid India, two “hotspots” of the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur.
However, the Prime Minister’s credibility has plummeted to a new low as a result of the gross mishandling of the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally so much so that his unannounced walkabout of Kuala Lumpur a day after 709 reminds one of Bush’s unannounced one-day visit to Baghdad after the United States bomb-out of Iraq!
This is why the “100,000-People Request Najib Tun Razak Resignation” facebook reached its target of getting 100,000 likes in some 36 hours, and has now exceeded 120,000 although not yet 48 hours since it was first started.
This is a 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” of Malaysians have indeed spoken out loud and clear, in the most viral phenomenon on Malaysian cyberspace, declaring their denunciation of the Najib crackdown on the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally.
Najib’s popularity has reached a nadir point since becoming Prime Minister 27 months ago – all because of flip-flop leadership reminiscent and which caused the undoing of his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
What is most shocking is the terminal denial complex afflicting the national leadership, with the classic case of the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar trying to deny the undeniable of unwarranted police brutality and violence as firing tear gas and water cannons into Tung Shin Hospital and at Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat leaders at the enclosed KL Sentral tunnel.
The IGP claimed that there were only 6,000 people in support of the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally when tens of thousands to the extent of 50,000 had turned out in support; yet the police mobilised 7,000-strong force and arrested 1,667 men, women and children – the largest mass arrests in Malaysian history!
The majority of Malaysians agree with Marina Mahathir, who together with her daughter took part in the Bersih 2.0 rally, when she blogged that the government’s poor handling of the Bersih 2.0 rally has given it a bad image internationally.
Can Najib save his premiership, make amends and reconnect with the Bersih 1Malaysia citizenry transcending race, religion, geography, gender and age who want a Clean Malaysia in elections, political system or national governance?
This is a tall order and the prerequisites for Najib to reconnect with the newfound generation of Bersih 1Malaysia must include the following measures:
#1 by Bigjoe on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 3:19 pm
Actually now you bring it up, his walk in TAR IS a rally too, and Ambiga and her friends cannot? Makes it looks even more wrong..The man can’t do anything right…
#2 by DAP man on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 3:20 pm
Is Najib our PM? It looks and talks like a ketua kampong.
Only an idiotic PM will call Datuk Ambiga names.
#3 by drngsc on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 3:20 pm
HIDUP B1MALAYSIA
A cleaner, freer, fairer democratic 1 Malaysia.
we must change the tenant at Putrajaya.
#4 by tak tahan on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 3:49 pm
DAP man,
Is Najib our PM?Yes,if it were to refer as Pokey Man.That’s what he is good at,poke here poke there ie. remember at Port dickson and what he did to Altan’ front n back.He is a KOTOR MAN!
#5 by monsterball on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 3:50 pm
To note Marina Mahathir took part in the walk is a joy of good news.
The post ask readers what did 9th July reminds us of.
To me…it reminds me of BERSIH 1…rain and cool with walkers fearing nothing to demonstrate their rights for freedom to walk where..as they like..and send a BERSIH message to a KOTOR government……loud and clear.
#6 by Jong on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 3:53 pm
This bumbling idiot, the ‘Father of All Rhetorics’ can’t do anything right can he?!
Where was he on sat afternoon 9 July? – glued to Anilnetto.com “live” for latest on Bersih news?
He should have taken heed of Agong’s advice for face-saving, be civil about it and join in the Bersih Walk. Perhaps then things would have been different.
Now he has lost everything – no credibility and integrity left when he reneged on his words.
And as if not enough, he further enraged civil society with threats to engage Silat thugs to ‘kow tim’ peaceful Bersih protesters coming together calling for Electoral Reforms – transparency, clean and fair election!
It makes one wonder where did he learn that from, …his old man?
#7 by tak tahan on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 3:58 pm
Bersih pun takut kuning pun takut.Apa macam punya PM!Patutlah nama pun Najis.No principle no integrity no clean but sangat kotor macam tai and worst no class at all.Semua ketua ahli BN sangat kotor.
#8 by voice2009 on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 4:10 pm
He was trying his best to tell Malaysians and the world leaders that he is a Cool Blood human being
After yesterday event 9 July 2011, he’s still have the happy mood to walk around, he is a Cool Blood human being have no feel for those Justice, loving peace Malaysia bravely uphold Justice, clean, fairness and transparent for Malaysia future, many have suffered from brutal from Police force
This is the worst PM in the Malaysian History and a big LIAR
Let’s us bravely continue our journey
BERSIH…BERSIH…BERSIH
Let’s roll on
#9 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 5:03 pm
Najib’s walkabout reminds me of a dog with its tail between its legs.
Sheepish, silly and pathetic. Locally, we sometimes call them peraiah dogs.
#10 by baochingtian on Monday, 11 July 2011 - 7:04 pm
Najis’s walkabout is to put words into people’s mouth that the Bersih walk has seriously affected their biz and those affected traders can collect cheques from him. Now he helps you and next time you must help him!