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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Bersih still open to further dialogue

Bersih says it is ready for further talks with any party on electoral reforms as long as it is a publicised debate.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0 is willing to hold a dialogue with Umno Youth on the coalition’s eight demands for electoral reform.

Yesterday, Umno Youth executive council member Zaki Zahid told ABC Radio Australia that he had proposed a dialogue with Bersih 2.0 and other repersentatives to debate the electoral demands that sparked off a mammoth rally last Saturday.

No details had been released on the proposed talks but Bersih chairman S Ambiga told a press conference today that Bersih 2.0 was open to future talks with any party including the Election Commission (EC).

“It’s healthy,” she said. “Bersih 2.0 would be more than happy to engage in a live televised debate with the EC and take questions from the audience.”

“We want to know what electoral reforms the EC proposed to the government since our last discussion and why those proposals were rejected. And the people should know this too.”

However, Ambiga also voiced concern over the EC’s impartiality which she said had come under grave doubt of late. She referred to a report in a daily in which the EC stated outright that Bersih 2.0 was on the opposition’s side.

“What does that say about the EC’s stand?” she asked. “The EC has been quoted by the media as saying many things that imply its political leaning.”

In a recent luncheon talk on Bersih’s eight demands, the EC had accused the coalition of being a thinly-veiled political plot to overthrow the government.

“The question of the EC’s independence is a very serious issue,” Ambiga said. “Those appointed to the EC are those who enjoy public confidence and public confidence is a very serious matter.”

Asked about a statement made earlier today by former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that Bersih 2.0 never submitted any proposal for electoral reform during his tenure, Ambiga pointed out that she was not part of Bersih 1.0.

“But Bersih 2.0 has raised this matter with all the necessary parties,” she assured.

Bersih steering council member Haris Ibrahim then chipped in to remind the media that Bersih 1.0 had in fact sent a delegation to Parliament on Dec 11, 2007.

“But the delegation was arrested,” he stated. “So how could we have submitted our proposals? Please remind Pak Lah of this.”

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