Bersih : Najib is deliberately putting us in a bad light

Bersih says instead of fulfilling his role as the protector of the constitutional rights and safety of peace-loving Malaysians, the prime minister has chosen to misrepresent its intentions .

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has finally broken his silence over the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 but the Bersih Steering Committee says that the “prime minister does not understand our intentions or is deliberately putting us in a bad light”.

Najib yesterday warned that organisers of the “Walk for Democracy” would be held responsible if the rally sparked chaos in the country. He also labelled the event an opposition tool to wrest back political power from BN.

In a swift response the Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee pointed out that guaranteeing the safety of “these patriotic citizens” was the government’s responsibility.

“We are disappointed that instead of fulfilling his role as the protector of the constitutional rights and safety of peace-loving Malaysians, the prime minister has chosen to misrepresent our intentions and wield the dark sceptre of unwarranted repressive consequences,” the committee said in a statement on its website.

“We are equally disappointed at the accusation that the purpose of Bersih 2.0 is to wrest back political momentum from the BN. The prime minister must have either failed to have read and understood our stated goals or is deliberately putting us in a misleading light.”

The committee reiterated its commitment to peaceful and principled activism as well as its non-interest in the movement of any political party.

It also reminded the government of the repeated invitations sent to BN to be part of the process. None of the political parties under the the ruling government has accepted this invitation so far.

“This is the perfect opportunity for the prime minister to demonstrate the progressive views he has espoused both at home and abroad,” the committee stated.

“He can do so by allowing the rally to proceed unhindered and direct all government agencies to cooperate fully with all involved to ensure that the safety of all Malaysians wishing to exercise their constitutional right.”

“We feel that this would be the best use of the energies and resources of the police, who have continued to thoroughly perplex observers both locally and abroad by arresting patriotic, peace-loving Bersih 2.0 supporters for “waging war against the monarch”.”

The committee was referring to the arrests of 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) activists in Kepala Batas yesterday for allegedly trying to resurrect communism in the country.

The acccusations were based on paraphernelia seized by the police which included leaflets and T-Shirts printed with the names of Chin Peng, Rashid Maidi and Suriani Abdullah. The three are linked to the Communist Party of Malaysia (CPM).

“Surely this stark and alarming lack of logic and common sense will further tarnish our nation’s image and contradict the values championed by the prime minister and his government,” the committee stated.

The committee agreed with Najib that political power is in the hands of the people but added that unless the electoral system is reformed this political power will remain only in the hands of a select few Malaysians.

“These two weeks will be a defining moment for the prime minister and his government,” it concluded.

“Any crackdown on civil society, refusal to guarantee the safety of Malaysians on July 9, or rhetoric that unfairly demonises patriotic, peace loving citizens will be a tragic reflection of the government’s failure to live up to their promises and the responsibilities entrusted to them by the people.”