There can only be one democracy and that is the Umno version

With only a week to the proposed citizens' intention to march peacefully and convey to the nation's supreme leader His Majesty the Agung their plea for clean and fair elections has unearthed and confirms a frightening reality.

The government in taking an adamant stand against the proposed citizens' rally has unleashed its entire machinery against all citizens and leaders who may be or are in favor of and determined to march on 9 July.

The arrests, re-arrests, detentions and the raids and confiscation of rally paraphenalia as well as police statements that 'comminists' agents are involved to topple Malaysia's soverenity is not just perplexing but frightening.

The bans and warnings are now going many notches up. and there are extremists statements being made including demanding that citizenships be revoked. Meanwhile the media propaganda has really hit the ceiling - if you listened to the radio, watched television or read the newspapers, you will agree without batting your eye.

Rebellion

It now appears that the government conclusively regards Bersih 2.0 as a rebellion.

Never mind what SUHAKAM says; who cares what Amnesty International has got to say; and who the hell is Malott by the way? - all these sums up the government'sstance.

And to make it even more scarry, the seditious, racist, rowdy and thugish reactions against Bersih from various quarters are obviously being admired, and quietly being allowed to be staged with ease.

It is very clear now that UMNO must win and win at any and all cost. This then is the new challenge not only facing the voters and NGOs but also the opposition parties who have for the last five decades suffered and yet made to be kept barely alive by their opponents.

This Bersih 2.0 proposed rally has brought out the absolute truth. The reality is in Malaysia there can only be one government that must be UMNO-led with BN participation.

In Malaysia there can only be one democracy and that is the UMNO version.

Citizens can have their say but it is only what is approved, sanctioned and favored by UMNO / BN. Anything that threatens UMNO will not be allowed to see daylight no matter what the world wants to say.

All uniformed agentries and all those subservient to as well as eating out from the handouts from the UMNO masters have unashamedly expressed their bullying support to the masters. Never mind what the millions of people want to express in taking ownership in the nation-building role.

Now one wonders what will the citizens get to hear from their revered Sovereign Ruler His Majesty The Agung. And that will be the last nail to the coffin - it is an either for or against UMNO.

Explosive

If it is for UMNO, then all opposition parties are technically banished from the political landscape. If they exist it is only to make UMNO look like a democracy. Likewise civil liberties is only acceptable if its run by the parameters set by UMNO; otherwise it is treason, sedition, agenda to topple the King, and throw the nation into chaos.

Well, citizens welcome to Malaysia - a nation that is ruled by one political party and ruled by all cost, by any means. The message is there can be no other political party that can govern Malaysia except UMNO. BN is a mere equation only as the coalition members must toe the line or face the whip. If you are against UMNO you are a traitor to nation building.

Today we can see that the nation is no more divided along racial and religious lines but the country is now divided between pro-UMNO and anti-UMNO. Now how long more is this nation going to remain in this potentially explosive predicament?

- J. D. Lovrenciear is a reader and contributor to Malaysia Chronicle