Fear of Bersih 3.0 behind talk Ambiga might be made a PAS vice president?

Bersih co-chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan has rubbished a news report that insinuated she might get a vice president's post in the PAS, which has a non-Muslim wing.

"Please stop republishing these lies," Ambiga said on her Twitter on Wednesday.

Quoting PKR turncoat Anuar Shaari, the NST reported that it was "not totally baseless" for her to be the first non-Muslim to reach such a high position in PAS. According to Anuar Shaari, this was because Ambiga was "close" to both Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu aka Mat Sabu.

"Mohamad and Anwar are close to Ambiga and their relationship would perhaps contribute to Ambiga being given a high post in Pas," Anuar said in the article first published over the weekend.

On the blacklist

Ambiga, a former Bar Council president, is on the BN federal government's 'blacklist' because of her influence over the people, especially the urban crowd. She has borne the brunt of countless attacks in the bid by Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration to discredit her and the Bersih movement for free and fair elections through the government-controlled media.

With the 13th general election widely expected to be held in May or June, and the Parliamentary Select Committee completing its review of electoral reforms this week, Ambiga, co-chairman A Samad Said and the rest of the Bersih team can be expected to speak their minds on the ineffectiveness of the PSC so far.

Only just a day ago, Ambiga had criticized the move by the Election Commission to stop the early counting of ballots in GE-13, citing the rise of new media and text messages to relay results instantly which it feared could influence voting elsewhere.

Scared of Bersih 3.0?

The Najib administration, which failed to stop the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally despite launching an unprecedented crackdown that included banning the wearing of yellow T-shirts is also worried that the activists might organize Bersih 3.0. Indeed, Bersih leaders have indicated they might do so to create further voter awareness, given the general failure of the PSC to resolve the majority of the 8 reforms recommended by their committee.

"Yes, they are picking on Ambiga again. Bersih 2.0 was very well attended by all the races including the Malays. The BN is trying to spread the propaganda that free and fair elections is a non-issue spread by the non-Malays, and that top PAS leaders are selling out on agama, bangsa dan negara (religion, race and country) because they support Ambiga," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"Look at the way the BN links Anwar with Mat Sabu. When it suits them, Anwar and Mat Sabu are the best of pals. Mat Sabu is suddenly an Anwarina and not loyal to PAS. Then when it doesn't suit them, these two are the worst enemies and Anwar is trying to stab Mat Sabu and PAS in the back. That is Umno politics for you."

Malaysia Chronicle