Best on Bersih

Written by Dr Lim Teck Ghee, CPIasia

What started off as a noble and modest rally in defence of fair and free elections has now been transformed into a larger movement for good governance and the defence of democratic freedoms and basic political rights.

It is a transformation not brought about by a scheming group of political actors coming from the opposition parties as claimed by the government but one which has been precipitated and energized by the government’s fear and intolerance of any democratic expression which may be to its disadvantage.

As a group of academics recently pointed out in a joint statement preceding the rally, “public assemblies and marches in support of causes that have attracted widespread public concern are a common feature of all democratic systems. They are a legitimate expression of the freedom and rights of the citizens of the country. Governments that use the laws, institutions and resources of the state to suppress or repress such activities do so at their own peril. There may be short term gains but the loss to the country’s democratic development will be enormous.”

Already our standing in terms of good governance, press freedom, the upholding of international norms of civil and political rights, and other universal indicators of democratic freedoms stands out poorly as compared with many less developed countries of the world. These actions of the government and its supporters can only hurt the country and result in Malaysia falling further down the ranking of authoritarian governments.

Meanwhile, the local opinion in the independent internet media is unanimous. Below are excerpts from some of the most thoughtful articles about the Bersih July 9 public assembly published in news portals and blogs. To read the write-ups in full, click on the titles.

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• Free Malaysia Today: ‘Bersih’s ‘hidden agenda’ a success’

The Bersih issue has become a public relations disaster for Najib, with observers claiming that in a matter of weeks, he has lost much of the ground gained since taking over the reins two years ago.

Public sentiment, the observers noted, has shifted and the premier’s image is soiled.

The controversy has diverted attention from the problems in the opposition camp and once again brings to the fore BN’s arrogance and impunity for which it was punished in 2008.

What is transpiring has turned the clock back to the era of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and earned the Najib administration the title of being a repressive regime which uses fear to intimidate opponents and citizens in order to remain in power.

Perhaps Najib has taken heed of Mahathir’s reminiscence at a recent function that under his rule, people did not have loose tongues.

While the current administration may decide to board a time machine and return to Mahathir-Malaysia, it must not forget that the former premier ruled over a generation that had little access to information and gave little thought to issues of constitutional rights and freedoms.

It is a different ball game now, and the tricks of the past will not work. Even Mahathir’s daughter feels the same. – By RK Anand (July 5)

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• A retired army officer: ‘Najib – please give the people a honourable hearing’

This is getting really serious… the army has began to train its troops for public order duties, supposedly in anticipation for a riotous Bersih rally this Saturday 9th July. Earlier, I received several calls from my retiree friends and they all express their fear for the worst should the army be deployed. They also questioned why commit the army over a situation they believe to have been crafted by the police themselves? After making a number of unwarranted arrest; unbelievably for an offence of wearing the ‘illegal’ yellow colored T shirts and on suspicion of some being communist sympathizers’, the police began to set-up road blocks in and around the city to conduct searches for more Bersih related paraphernalia. It appears to me now that the authorities are more afraid of the yellow colour; paranoid for a better word, than to safeguard and protect the constitutional rights of the people to a legal assembly demanding for an electoral reform that benefits all Malaysians.

Now, are we expecting another May 13 alike this time? While the May 13 was a race riot, this time (should a riot occur) will be markedly different. It will be a riot by Malaysians of all races, united and resolve in their demands for free and fair elections, against the authorities that are predominantly Malays. This being so, we can expect the worse, for I believe it will eventually be the pro Bersih Malays leading the charge against another fellow Malay. I dread such a scenario, and the consequences following such a riots (God forbid) will surely leave the Malays further divided and unity in tatters.

It was based on the above scenario that I believe the army SHOULD NOT be involved. – Brigadier General (Rtd) Mohd Arshad Raji

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• The Malaysian Insider: Was it worth it?

This question is directed at the government of the day, the one in Putrajaya. Was it worth it?

• shutting down Kuala Lumpur, and in doing so did exactly what it said the Bersih people would do: disrupt life of city folk.

• refusing to allow Bersih to have a gathering in Stadium Merdeka and guess what: there were gatherings all over the city. So instead of being clever and limiting the crowd to one area, the authorities had to scramble all over the city.

• refusing to allow Bersih to march, ostensibly because they were thugs and anti-social elements bent on wreaking havoc on the city.

We are sorry but the vast majority of Malaysians who braved the police, tear gas and elements were ordinary folk, Malaysians of different races and religions who came together for a fairer election system.

They were not paid RM50 to show up or given nasi bungkus or given 1Malaysia T-shirts. They showed up because they believed.

• unleashing Malaysians on Malaysians. That image will live on for a while.

Once again, was it worth it? – Editorial (July 9)

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• Malaysia Today: ‘Electoral reforms, good governance and statesmanship’

Suppression of electoral reforms is bad for the country, yet people who seek to suppress electoral reforms give themselves the appellation ‘Patriots’. This is really turning things on their egotistical heads. This is a classic example of bad governance made to look good by a compromised media controlled by the Prime Minister and his cronies. Malaysia seems to be a country ruled by dirty tricks and too much dirty tricks such that dirty tricks have now run riot and no one is able to control them any more – from dirty elections to dirty frogs to dirty sodomy charges to dirty videos to dirty TV stations, to dirty press to dirty judges and dirty policemen to dirty MACC officers to dirty EC officers, not least dirty politicians. Such small details need to be expressed and expressed well.

It is really sad to read reports of survivors of the Bersih 2.0 rally saying things like “we tried our best and gave it our best, but eventually it is the masses of people in the rural areas mind controlled by the media which is controlled by the cronies of the Prime Minister who will decide the future of the country”. Somewhere in this statement is the important realization that the struggle for electoral reforms is linked to a wider struggle for good governance and eventually to the struggle for a Malaysian leader who is a good statesman. This realization should bring hope, not sadness – so I am not going to be sad. – By Batsman (July 10)