Bersih vs Himpun: PM, there's a world of difference

YOURSAY 'So it matters not that Himpun was demonising another religious group while Bersih was calling for free and fair elections?'

PM lauds Himpun rally for being unlike Bersih

Brahman: Is Prime Minister Najib Razak on the same planet as the rest of Malaysians? Wasn't it his home minister who ordered the arrest of people wearing yellow T-shirts weeks even before the Bersih 2.0 demonstration started?

Didn't he make a U-turn on his offer of the stadium? Wasn't it the police who checked most hotels for Bersih supporters prior to the demonstration?

Wasn't it the police under his Home Ministry that had tear gas and water cannons, and fired them at the protesters, even into a hospital?

If he had done the same prior to the Himpun rally, the outcome would be different. In fact, there would definitely be fewer than 3,000 people present.

Ruben: Mr PM, I totally beg to differ. Yes, you offered a stadium with a lot of conditions to Bersih, then you went back on your words and said it should not be held in the stadium that Bersih wanted.

So please don't mislead the rakyat. First and foremost, Himpun should not have gone through with the rally as there was no evidence of apostasy, which was echoed by various parties, including PAS.

I totally disagree that your reforms are working. In fact, by practicing double standards, you are actually suppressing true democracy and the aspirations of the rakyat.

We are today worse off with the increasing racial and religious tensions fuelled by your government.

Hope: Well said, Najib. Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan, answer him or are you still polishing your medals? We all know that the Bersih rally was meant to cause chaos and had an ulterior motive. The rakyat can see that easily.

Well done, Himpun. Success or failure, you did it like it should be done in a democratic nation - exercising the right to assemble, but at the same time not infringing on the rights of others.

Phra Ong Chao: So it matters not that Himpun was demonising another religious group while Bersih was calling for free and fair elections?

Little Han2: By endorsing the Himpun rally, the PM has effectively and implicitly endorse the Himpun's battle cry that Christianity is a threat to Muslims in Malaysia.

This endorsement is myopic of the PM, which is typical of him, and I have to say it sends a chill down my spine. I feel betrayed, Mr PM.

Freemsia: Najib lauds Himpun, which is basically a thinly veiled attempt to create religious distrust in the country between Muslims and non-Muslims. And he vilifies Bersih 2.0, which aims to fight for fair and free elections.

What kind of PM do we have? So much for his ‘Global Movement of the Moderates'. Just like 1Malaysia, it is nothing but a farce.

Milosevic: Najib needs to say all this because he is too deep in the gutter to do otherwise. Of course, he needs to praise a paranoid, exclusivist organisation that backs him over a multi-racial, forward-looking, democratic movement that might threaten Umno's hold on power.

Even if they are disliked, they cannot let go of power. It is not just that they might stop raking in billions of ringgit. The reason they cannot exit is because they face the certainty of investigations into criminal activity, theft, etc.

They might be advised to do the democratic talk, but everyone with a brain knows they will destroy democracy to save themselves.

Malaysian Bersih: PM, first of all, the police refused to give Bersih a permit. Secondly, police opened fire with water cannon and tear gas at the rakyat first before all hell broke loose. Who was at fault?

Do give a permit to Bersih 3.0 and with the police not clamping down on the protestors, then we can compare the two events. Dare to try?

'Himpun gathering an epic failure'

Parti OKU: I congratulate my Muslim brothers and sisters for not falling into this trap. The dismal failure of Himpun proves that the Muslims in Malaysia are mature and cannot be fooled anymore by this cheap stunt, supported by racist parties like Umno.

It's shocking that parties like MCA, MIC, and Gerakan don't have a word to say on this issue.

Abu Iman: This is sign of trouble for BN and its machinery. If Bersih can attract so many supporters and Himpun can gather fewer than 5,000, I have the feeling that BN is heading for trouble in winning new voters to their side.

Anonymous: From what I observed, the participants would not be more than 2,000. The reason is it is more like a family gathering, with small children to make up the numbers. The majority of young Malays are now more educated, and this is exactly what BN fears.

Sarawakian_3ff9: Credit must be given to the majority of the Muslims in the country who like the rest of us, just want to live and let live.
The Umno ploy has not worked and this only reinforces the view that the Malays are not longer swayed by Umno racial and religious rantings to gain support.

Umno must be very scared now. Let's see what they will come up with next. And the DPM thinks he can take back Selangor?

Anonymous_3f15: God doesn't need protection, only politicians need protection. This is not a display of strength but of insecurity. - Malaysiakini