— Pak Man
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 10, 2012

APRIL 10 — Are you surprised that the Najib government has agreed to allow the Bersih 3.0 sit-in to go on? I am not. You shouldn’t either.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his aides have learnt their lesson from Bersih 2.0. They have also instructed their pro-government newspaper editors in the mainstream media to treat Bersih 3.0 differently from Bersih 2.0. That it is not a security threat that Bersih 2.0 was deemed by the security agencies.

Bersih 2.0 on July 9 was a seen as a security threat at the same level as Tahrir Square. That explains why Kuala Lumpur was locked down with phalanxes of policemen ringing the city. Police said only 5,000 turned up but they held nearly 1,700 people. How’s that for efficiency and effectiveness?

Despite all that, the Najib government’s handling of Bersih 2.0 was seen as a failure. He flip-flopped on giving them a stadium. He allowed his security advisors to get the upper hand but not this time. Najib cannot afford the fallout that Bersih 2.0 generated back then.

The repercussions even went as far as England where Najib visited a week after Bersih 2.0. The Anglophile prime minister was the first ever Malaysian leader to be boo-ed by Malaysians abroad. In a twist of events, this week British prime minister David Cameron visits Kuala Lumpur. I hope he will reinforce the need for Najib to ease off on Bersih 3.0.

Because he can’t have advisers like Jalil Hamid, who is now the NST chief editor, to demonise the Bersih participants and activists.

Do you remember what he said in the leaked letter? Let me refresh you in the note titled “GUIDANCE ON KEY ISSUES No 8/2011”.

“By most accounts, the Bersih 2.0 protest on July 9 could turn out to be massive and will certainly go beyond issues of fair and free elections. With over 100 political, NGO and right groups could be joining the “March for Democracy”, we expect them to champion a slew of issues ranging from inflation to Teoh Beng Hock and Lynas. The protest, if not countered, could undermine the government, the economy and national security. This note sets out the policy guidance and the do’s and don’ts in managing the issue,” he wrote.

Jalil then recommended the following as “the process of mind-conditioning will continue in the run-up to July 9”.

The process included, among others, to “discredit the organisation and itts key leaders. Bersih is neither registered with ROS nor ROC. It is NOT an election watchdog but a group of politicians and politically inclined individuals who lack credibility.”

He also said the government should “label the rally as “perhimpunan haram” or “illegal assembly”, and that the people behind Bersih are trouble shooters and going against the Constitution and the law to gain political mileage” and “that they are just a front for the opposition.”

There are also references to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was allegedly using Bersih 2.0 to shift attention from his “legal and moral woes” and to remind people about his “Sept 16 bluff”.

Jalil also said the process was also to “create anxiety that Bersih is working for the interests of foreign elements, who are out to destabilise the country” and “that Bersih is not bersih (clean) after all as it is an illegal group out to create havoc”.

You don’t see this today, do you? Those advisors are gone and Najib has learnt his lesson. He set up a parliamentary select committee (PSC) after that and they have submitted 22 recommendations with four more left behind.

Najib is allowing Bersih 3.0 because the elections are near. He wants to be seen as a democratic leader.Who can allow dissent that even Pak Lah or Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wouldn’t dream of doing.

Because he needs to win the general elections and remain as prime minister and Umno president. If that wasn’t the case, Bersih 3.0 will end up like Bersih 2.0. Call Najib’s bluff. Sit in on April 28 to show you want a better Malaysia free from electoral fraud. Don’t sit in and allow Malaysia to rot.