Silly and absurd to object Bersih rally

By R Kengadharan
In July 2005, Bersih started out as the Joint Action Committee for Electoral Reforms. The primary objective of the coalition was to push for a thorough reform of the electoral process in Malaysia.

Bersih is of the view that “only when elections are clean and fair, can citzens be real masters of their own destiny and expect holders of public office to act accountably and effectively”.

Tell me what’s wrong with this objective? Is this objective laced with a sinister motive or could it undermine our peculiar cradle of democracy in any way?

On April 29, Bersih highlighted the following key issues affecting the recently concluded Sarawak state elections:

• that there were abuses of power and some of this offences may have violated the Election Offences Act 1954 and the Anti-Corruption Act 1997;

• complaints of vote buying, promises of development and threats to withdraw projects;

• polling irregularities and violations;

• restricted campaign and asymmetric media access;

• and, disenfranchisement.

Bersih advised the Election Commission to immediately investigate the violations and urged them to take appropriate actions against those who have committed election offences. But there has been a complete inaction on the part of the Election Commision to date. Why?

Falling on deaf ears


While the Election Commision announced some changes, Bersih was of the view that those changes (if any) were insufficient to guarantee a free and fair election.

Bersih was of the view that they their many calls for reform has fallen into deaf ears, consequently challenging the credibility of the Election Commision which has now become a mere political tool.

The core objective of the rally on July 9, 2011 is nothing but a tireless effort to promote a vibrant and transparent democracy and an effort to establish and restore an electoral system of integrity, strong and independent public institution and a corrupt free society.

In this context, will the non-issuance of a permit really hinder and down play the importance of the voice of the people in jointly asking for electoral reform?

While the rally is intended to be peaceful, the government must respect and learn to respect the people’s constitutional and natural right to peaceful assembly without disturbance.

This is no opposition agenda as portrayed by many and neither a desperate attempt to create a hate campaign against the government.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been quoted in the media as saying “ they are trying to use street demonstrations to create a hate momentum against the government to achieve their road to Putrajaya’s agenda”.

There is no doubt that this remark is completely preposterous and outrageous.

Those in position and authority failed to undertsand that Bersih is championing the critical and elementary interest of democracy and not the interest of any political parties or a desperate attempt to gain cheap political mileage as alleged by the Election Commission Deputy Chairman Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

Let’s all walk
I think it is prudent to re-assess and re-evaluate the stand of the government in this matter.

Government must encourage and implement decisive policies and not make rhetoric statements so as to pacify the majoritarian gallery.

The rally is designed to create awareness and not an attempt to undermine the democratic process or the security of the nation, provided if all parties engage in the march acted rationally and prudently.

On that score I invite the Malaysian public of all walks of life regardless of race, religion and your political believe to look at the core matter of clean and fair elections.

The constant launch of vicious attacks only displays a lack of maturity and understanding of the democratic process.

I urge Malaysians not to boycott the rally. It will not be chaotic when those for and against the street demonstrations meet.

We must instead embrace them and invite them to march along with us and urge them to change the way they see rallies and a responsible government must ultimately accede to people’s demands for fair election practices.

The Malaysian Indian Voice fully support this course and will urge their nationwide members to participate in this mammoth rally.

R Kengadharan is a lawyer and a former ISA detainee. He is also a leader of the Malaysian Indian Voice NGO