The Season of Blundering Buffoons

By Masterwordsmith

While some might think the dust is settling after the release of the EO6, a storm could be brewing instead. Following the gross mishandling of the Bersih 2.0 rally and post-Bersih events, BN has been scurrying to execute damage control but to no avail. Why?

Legal or Illegal?

To declare Bersih 2.0 as an illegal organization is a big mistake because it is not an organization but a coalition of 62 organizations which are LEGALLY registered.

There is no necessity for a coalition to be registered. All they did was to come together to pursue certain electoral reforms for a stronger and more democratic system. For that matter, Pakatan Rakyat is also not registered but is it considered illegal since it is a coalition of 3 legally registered parties?

If there are defects in any system such as the judiciary, the police or the bureaucracy, responsible citizens have to push for changes. Is anything wrong with that?

Bear in mind that the King met with Bersih 2.0 Chairperson S.Ambiga and not Ibrahim Ali.

What does that tell us?

Besides, the IGP also said that Bersih 2.0 could have the rally at the Shah Alam Stadium. Even then, the Bernama statement has contradictions. Details HERE.

So why and when did it become illegal? Simple - when they perceived that the organizers had defied them. When threatened, logic and reason fizzle into thin air and then the seeds of fear would be sown.

Blundering Buffoons

To that end, 30 PSM leaders and members were arrested for allegedly being in possession of 600 photocopies of Bersih pamphlets and subversive documents. Six were held for 28 days without trial under the draconian Emergency Ordinance 1969 and were released last Friday. However, the 30 face charges under the Societies Act pertaining to the Bersih 2.0 pamphlets and the Internal Security Act for the subversive documents.

Ironically, Malaysia sits on the UN Human Rights Council and still practises the ISA and the Emergency Ordinance. What a farce!

As a result of the many blunders made in the pre and post Bersih period, the international media went to town as they highlighted the manner in which the authorities handled the rally.

The season of blunders continued when the PM announced that the Government is committed to electoral reforms and ensuring that parliamentary democracy is forever maintained.

Reality check. Isn't that part of Bersih's quest for electoral reforms? Why brand a coalition as illegal and then go on to do what that coalition has been trying to do?

During the 5th Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit in Kuala Lumpur last Sunday, MyOverseasVote (MOV) said that Najib was asked as to how Malaysians studying and working abroad could cast their votes.

He reportedly answered that he would look into the practicalities of allowing overseas voting and the necessity of amending the Federal Constitution to allow for this. He also assured the summit that his administration is committed to and will undertake electoral reform.

In a statement today, MOV expressed disappointment that Najib appeared to be in the dark about overseas voting and referred to Article 119 of the constitution.

According to Free Malaysia Today:

The article provides that every Malaysian citizen has the right to vote so long as he is at least 21 years old and registered either as a voter resident in a constituency or as an “Absent Voter”.


MOV also pointed out that pursuant to the Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003, all absent voters are entitled to receive postal ballots when an election is called.


“Unfortunately the regulations governing the registration of absent voters currently discriminate between citizens on the grounds of their occupation and employment,” MOV said.


The Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2002 allowed only three categories of Malaysian citizens to register as absent voters.


The three are:

• serving members of a Malaysian, Commonwealth or foreign military and their spouses,
• civil servants serving outside Peninsular or East Malaysia and their spouses, and
• full-time students studying outside Peninsular or East Malaysia and their spouses.

“It thereby excludes nearly a million Malaysians stationed overseas who work in the private sector or who are retired,” MOV stated.


“The prime minister should explain why a Malaysian serving with a foreign military is entitled to vote as an absent voter but not a Malaysian who works overseas for a Malaysian or multinational company.”

I am sure with his many well-trained and highly qualified advisers, the PM, head of the country should be able to shed light on these issues. After all, aren't the elections just round the corner?

Apart from all this, FMT also reported that speculation has been rife that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s position in Umno is under threat. A storm is really brewing behind the scenes. The report cited that "while in public, support is expressed for the president, behind closed doors his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin with the blessings of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is making his move."

Many believe that the prime minister’s grip on power slipped further following the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 while the controversies surrounding his wife Rosmah Mansor are also taking a toll.

What will happen during this season of blundering buffoons? Expect fireworks!

For sure, WE cannot blunder when we go to the ballot box.

We all need a united stand from all Malaysians against a host of injustices in this country and the starting point would be electoral reforms which would open the way to a cleaner, fairer democratic system.