Bersih, the humbling of government

By Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 10, 2011

JULY 10 — And then the whole country erupts into chaos. This is what I’m worried about. The government also keeps flip-flopping on whether it will allow the rally to go on or not. It needs to rule with a firmer hand!”

Now Ibrahim Ali is making sense. The whole country erupts into chaos because this country hasn’t got a firm leadership.

But how does Ibrahim Ali define firm? By applying the big stick on Ambiga? On Bersih? It seems according to Ibrahim, general of Perkasa, Malay of the Malays, the government is firm only if they lock up Ambiga (who’s trying to undermine the Malays, who is a threat to Islam etc.). The government is firm only when it does the bidding of Ibrahim Ali.

It depends who is defining what. Some people will say the government is firm if it arrests Ibrahim Ali and leaders of martial arts groups who subvert the legal apparatuses of coercion in this country- the police and the military. By not reigning in the forces of ‘our 3rd line of defence’ the government is sending messages that other groupings can elevate their questionable statuses into respectable 3rd line defence forces. Read the rest of this entry »

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709 marks the empowerment of the real 1Malaysia

“709” will go down in Malaysian history as the day of empowerment of the real 1Malaysia – where all races and religions came together to demand a “Clean Malaysia”, not just for clean elections but also in the political system and all aspects of national governance.

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak coined the 1Malaysia slogan on taking office in April 2009 but it has been pure gimmicry in the past two years and three months – reduced to 1Malaysia T-shirt 1Malaysia Tupperware circus.

But it was yesterday that Malaysians of all races and religions who gave true meaning to a 1Malaysia by coming out in tens of thousands in the federal capital to support Bersih’s call for free, fair and clean elections. This is something Najib can never understand. Read the rest of this entry »

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709 Bersih Rally

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Bersih 2.0 – Updates

DAP Malaysia / @dapmalaysia
Bersih2.0 / @bersih2 / @bersih2a / @bersih2b
MalaysiaKini / @newsmakers
The Malaysian Insider / @tmi / @tmi2
Free Malaysia Today / @fmtoday

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2pm, July 9th, Stadium MERDEKA: Malaysia’s moment of truth

By BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee

Malaysians from all walks of life have travelled a very long road to reach this defining point in our nation’s history. With less than 24 hours to our intended peaceful gathering, our resolve to walk the last, most difficult mile as one united people in pursuit of clean and fair elections and a better Malaysia for all is firmer than ever.

Our reason for gathering is pure and simple – to demand the electoral roll be cleaned, that the postal voting system be reformed, that indelible ink be used, a minimum 21 day campaign period be instated, free and fair access to media for all be provided, public institutions be strengthened, and for corruption as well as dirty politics to be stopped.

The authorities have put obstacle after obstacle where they only needed to provide sincere cooperation to win the trust and confidence of the people. Having faced half hearted offers of stadiums, arrogance regarding meetings as well as denials of permits, arrests, detentions and so much more, we feel that we have done all that is humanly possible to demonstrate sincerity and good faith in dealing with the government – but we have only been met with reversed decisions and stone walls.
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Not too late for Najib to ensure that July 9 will not enter annals of Malaysia as a black day for democracy and human rights – worse than Operation Lalang in 1987

The world is astounded how a peaceful rally for free and fair elections could create such panic and paranoia for a democratic government as to cause it to jettison all lip-service commitments to democracy and human rights – as is happening in Malaysia.

The civilized world is watching with increasing alarm at the swift descent to “madness” in Malaysia where perfectly decent, civil and legitimate calls for free and fair elections is regarded by those in power as an even greater threat to its authority than by terrorist attacks or foreign invasion.

Is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s hold on power so fragile that a successful peaceful rally calling for free, fair a clean elections could as good as topple and end the 54-year rule of Umno and BN in Malaysia?

Is the UMNO and Barisan Nasional position in government so precarious that they have to challenge the just and wise intervention of the Yang di Pertuan Agong resulting in Bersih agreeing to abandon its July 9 march in favour of a stadium rally, which itself had the endorsement of the Prime Minister?
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Bersih supporters are Malaysians too

By Emmanuel Joseph | July 08, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

JULY 8 — Every single Malaysian should be outraged .The government’s response on Bersih so far has been disappointing, rash, highly immature, overtly political and downright ridiculous. The response of enforcement agencies supposedly independent of the government appears to mimic this incredulous, fear-mongering answer to calls for what are essentially the right of every basic democracy — proper elections.

Objections to this peaceful rally has been prayerfully chanted every 30 minutes or so on television, condemning, and mocking this rally, almost as if Bersih was conjuring a merry band of thugs to terrorise the neighbourhoods of KL. The confiscation of Bersih-related items are also uncalled for and with little basis. What harm can yellow T shirts and logos do the country?

The police’s absurd and outlandish reaction by posting roadblocks across the capital is a gross waste of resources. Given our police force still cannot nab, say the Bangsar acid splasher, what good will manning 240 stations across the city do other than bring traffic to a near standstill? I remember an MCA leader proclaiming Bersih would stop ambulances in their tracks. Whose conscience would it be if someone died because of these desperately illogical actions?
Read the rest of this entry »

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How low can you go

By Shamini Darshni | July 08, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

JULY 8 — The whole political drama surrounding Bersih 2.0’s planned rally on Saturday has reached historical proportions — but at which end, whether incredibly ridiculous or incredibly ingenious, still begs decision.

On one hand, we have Bersih 2.0, with a committee made up of respected citizens with a deep understanding of electoral issues, bent on rallying for one cause: free and fair elections in a country that has been ruled by one multi-party coalition for over 50 years.

On the other hand, I know I am not the only who feels that there is a tactical game plan being rolled out to disable Bersih 2.0 and build anxiety among the general population.

Recently, as my dad, his German friend and I talked about Malaysia’s politics, my father pointed out that governments should realise that the people today have something that they might not have had 50 years ago: education.
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Kit Siang accepts challenge by Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman to a public debate in Kota Belud on the proposed Tambatuon Dam and suggests September date

The Sabah Daily Express on Wednesday 6th July 2011 carried a report of the Barisan Nasional Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan challenging me to an open debate regarding the proposed Tambatuon Dam.

The Daily Express report reads:

“Let’s debate: Rahman

“Kota Kinabalu: Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan on Tuesday challenged DAP Advisor Lim Kit Siang to an open debate regarding the proposed Tambatuon Dam.

“Expressing disappointment with the Ipoh Timur MP, he said the latter has been continuously instigating the people of Kg Tambatuon with misleading facts about the issue. Read the rest of this entry »

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Running Scared in Malaysia

By John R. Malott
Wall Street Journal
July 8, 2011

Opinion The Malaysian government has pulled out all the stops to prevent an rally this weekend. This week, army units conducted crowd control exercises with banners that said, “Disperse or we will shoot!” The police set up roadblocks and arrested Malaysians simply for wearing yellow T-shirts, the signature color of Bersih, a coalition of 62 nongovernmental organizations that demands changes in Malaysia’s electoral system. To date, the police have arrested over 250 supporters of Bersih, claiming that they are “waging war against the king.”

Then something unprecedented happened. Malaysia’s King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, allegedly the target of Bersih’s campaign, intervened. He called on both Prime Minister Najib Razak and Bersih to resolve their differences in a spirit of harmony and cooperation, for the good of the nation. Read the rest of this entry »

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Can Putrajaya be trusted?

By The Malaysian Insider
July 07, 2011

JULY 7 — Events over the past week have brought to question whether Malaysians can trust the Barisan Nasional (BN) government? And if not, can Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has made great strides to reclaim the coalition’s popularity, regain the people’s trust?

Let’s look at some of the events this week that has likely undermined not only his support but also his 1 Malaysia. People First. Performance Now.

Najib’s offer of a stadium for rally instead of electoral reforms movement Bersih marching through town pressing for free and fair elections. Read the rest of this entry »

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The day when the people rise up: July 9

By Kim Quek
July 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 7 — That’s it! Bersih finally has had enough of the treacherous conduct of a shameless government which has lost all sense of decency!

In a firmly worded statement released late last night, Bersih effectively said “come what may, we will have our rally at the Stadium Merdeka on July 9 at 2 pm!”.

This is Bersih’s final answer to a battery of ridiculous obstructions, warnings and excuses put up by the Najib government to obstruct a Bersih rally in the stadium.

This is despite Bersih having made a major concession to shift the rally from the streets to a stadium under the unprecedented intervention of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and after Prime Minister Najib Razak’s offer of a suitable stadium for the purpose. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kit Siang accuses Najib of being insincere in Bersih row

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
July 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — DAP leader Lim Kit Siang accused Datuk Seri Najib Razak today of being insincere and irresponsible for continuing with the Bersih clampdown, despite the group heeding the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s call to hold the July 9 rally in a stadium.

The election watchdog has chosen Stadium Merdeka as the venue for this Saturday’s rally. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar has however told the polls reform group to hold its rally outside of the capital. Read the rest of this entry »

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Cops: Restriction order against 91 individuals

by Regina Lee
Malaysiakini
Jul 7, 11

The police have placed a restriction order on 91 individuals, including organisers of the Bersih 2.0, Perkasa and Umno Youth’s Patriot rallies.

The order is to stop any of the 91 from being present at several spots in Kuala Lumpur on July 9.

“This means that anyone (on the list) caught present at these areas will be arrested on sight,” said the city deputy police chief Amar Singh.

Top on the list are the Bersih 2.0 steering committee members, including Ambiga Sreenevasan, Wong Chin Huat and Maria Chin Abdullah.

Also on the list are Pakatan Rakyat leaders, such as opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat, his party’s deputy-president Mohamad Sabu, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and social activist Hishamuddin Rais. Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib at risk of becoming the first Kafkaesque Prime Minister in Malaysia who does not mean what he says and does not say what he means

Datuk Seri Najib Razak runs the risk of becoming the first Kafkaesque Prime Minister in Malaysia who does not mean what he says and does not say what he means.

“Kafkaesque” relates to or suggestive of Franz Kafka or his writings and is often applied to bizarre and impersonal administrative situations where the individual feels powerless to understand or control what is happening.

The national sigh of relief evoked by the wise and just intervention of the Yang diPertuan Agong on Monday – that the “gathering storm” in the past week over the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 calling for free, fair and clean elections could be dispelled – lasted only 24 hours, for it proved to be both short-lived and premature.

As a direct consequence of the wise and just intervention of the Yang di Pertuan Agong, Bersih organisers called off the July 9 march and instead agreed to hold a rally at any stadium as proposed by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

However, when the Bersih organisers decided on Merdeka Stadium as the venue for the peaceful rally for free, fair and clean elections, all sorts of roadblocks and obstacles were thrown up by the various authorities despite the fact that such a rally at Merdeka Stadium had the blessings of the Yang di Pertuan Agong, viz: Read the rest of this entry »

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Bersih 2.0 warns of telco, Internet blackout

Malaysiakini | Jul 7, 11

With less than 48 hours to the Bersih 2.0 rally, the movement now claims to have received information that the mobile phone networks and Internet services would be suspended this weekend.

In a statement today, the Bersih 2.0 steering committee said that such a measures to frustrate the rally would make the authorities no different from Middle-Eastern dictators.

“Bersih 2.0 is alarmed by intelligence that there might be a full or partial clampdown on the Internet as we approach this weekend.

“Bersih 2.0 warns the federal government that should access to the mobile phone networks, the Internet, mobile 3G services, specific websites or social media be compromised in any way, then the authorities will look absolutely no different from the Middle-Eastern dictators who have used the same measures with no success whatsoever,” it said.
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Najib and gang say the darndest things

By Kee Thuan Chye | July 7, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

The Bersih 2.0 episode has taught us a few important things. About the officials who are supposed to serve us, the rakyat.

First, it has taught us that our prime minister, Najib Tun Razak, is a coward, a passer-of-the-buck, and a man with a slippery tongue.

Although he has now offered the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) a stadium to hold its rally on July 9, he refuses to say if the government no longer considers it an illegal organisation.

“This is a point whereby we consider them illegal, they don’t consider themselves as illegal but what’s important is public interest, I’m concerned with public interest,” he says. What kind of waffle is that?
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Let’s debate: Rahman

Daily Express | 6 July 2011

Kota Kinabalu: Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan on Tuesday challenged DAP Advisor Lim Kit Siang to an open debate regarding the proposed Tambatuon Dam.

Expressing disappointment with the Ipoh Timur MP, he said the latter has been continuously instigating the people of Kg Tambatuon with misleading facts about the issue.

“His intention is very clear which is to score political gains at the expense of national interest (food security), long term benefit to the thousands of poor farmers and solution to the drinking water supply and flood mitigation of the people of Kota Belud,” he said in a statement.
Read the rest of this entry »

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The Wisdom of the Students

By M. Bakri Musa

In a remarkable display of professorial prowess, University of Malaya Vice-Chancellor Ghauth Jasmon recently engaged his students in a two-hour dialogue on what it would take to make their university great. With humility, pedagogical skills, and great stage presence, he enthralled his audience while imparting an important message. They in turn were not at all shy in telling him the challenges they faced. It was truly a dialogue, not the usual one-way pedantic pronouncements.

Those students had a clear message not only for their Vice-Chancellor but also the country’s leaders and policy makers: Listen to us!

The session was even more remarkable as it was held after lunch, typically siesta time in the tropics. Anyone who has faced a classroom of students at that time of day knows how difficult it is to get their attention. Yet there they were – professor and students – intellectually engaging each other, interspersed with frequent cheers and laughter.
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Putrajaya freezes bus permits for Bersih weekend

By G. Manimaran
Bahasa Malaysia Editor
The Malaysian Insider
July 07, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Putrajaya has frozen temporary bus permits for travel across the peninsula to Kuala Lumpur, in what is seen as an effort to limit the turnout for Saturday’s Bersih rally.

Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar confirmed the directive is effective tomorrow, saying the commission did not want traffic congestion in the capital city.

“We don’t want to add to the congestion in the city, and are taking precautionary measures,” he told The Malaysian Insider this morning.
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