by Proham 30th April 2012
Proham observes that the Bersih3 gathering on April 28, 2012 has ushered in an unstoppable move towards greater democratic freedoms in Malaysia. It is clear from the rally that the climate offear which once dominated citizens’ action in the past has been lifting.
Proham recognises that ordinary citizens are now demanding for greater public space for expressions of discontentment and exercising their human rights as citizens of Malaysia. The unprecedented size of the crowds who flocked into the city, defying authority’sban and restrictions reveal this new growing trend.
Proham’s analysis reveals that on the whole , the citizens on the streets came in peace and conducted themselvesin a peaceful way even extending peace flowers to enforcement officials. Proham also notes that the Police on the whole exercised much restraint and the enforcementofficials must be commended for this.
Proham analysis also indicates that among the demonstrators were some individuals who behaved in a violent way that is unacceptable. This included breaking through Police barricades, kicking Police officers who fell and turning a Police patrol car upside down. Proham condemns such violent behaviour and calls on the authorities to undertake the necessary investigations and bring due charges
Proham recognises that a number of Police officers and authorities have roughen up the members of the media. Police action in shooting tear-gas and chemical water has resulted in some reactive aggression from demonstrators and on the whole has impacted on a large number of peaceful citizens in a very negative way.
Therefore Proham calls on the Federal government to institute an independent panel to investigate into all these allegations and this could be undertaken by Suhakam with some urgency.
Proham also calls on the Federal Government not to lose sight of the real reason for the peaceful demonstration which is the unhappiness of a large section of citizens over the findings ofthe Parliamentary Select Committee and how parliament handled the report.
There is also a great deal of mistrust on the part of the public that the many sound recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee will be addressed in time before the impending elections .
There is also major public concernon the independence of the Election commission, with the revelation that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman are members of the major ruling political party. Proham feels that the Election Commission should have guidelines in future to insist that EC members should not be members of political parties and that they should not be retired civil servants. This is essential to protect the integrity and independence of the EC in future.
Proham considers that the whole EC law must be reviewed and reformed to make the EC much more relevant to public demands for cleaner and fairer elections by adopting ‘best practices’ that can be easily found from worldwide experiences.
These concerns must be urgently addressed before the 13th General Elections. Proham therefore calls upon the government to immediately undertake to introduce electoral reforms that could be adopted and implemented well before the election day .
If some of these important recommendations need more time for implementation , then Proham recommends that the elections be delayed until such time as these Parliamentary recommendations can be implemented on time.
There has to be transformation of our electoral system soon otherwise our forthcoming election will be doubted all over the world since yesterday’s rally and the violence has been seen worldwide.
Proham hopes that the Malaysian voters will gain from Bersih 3 rally and Federal Government support and move forward the agenda for a better, cleaner and fairer elections and outcomes, in the coming 13th general elections
Issued on behalf of Proham by: Tan Sri Simon Sipaun (Proham Chairman), Prof Hamdan Adnan (Proham Vice Chairman), Tan Sri Ramond Navaratnam (Proham member) and Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria (Proham Exco)