The breaking of BERSIH begins.

AIDCNews – 16/05/12 – Something is not right after the BERSIH 3.0 fiasco, despite numerous denials by the group’s steering committee about the ‘upcoming’ BERSIH 4.0.


On May 15, BERSIH chairman, Datuk S. Ambiga announced that there would not be another BERSIH demonstration after the bad outing during BERSIH 3.0.


“My side has not thought about any agenda to hold Bersih 4.0 rally… I know that (the proposal of) Bersih 4.0 is supported by many quarters, including PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, PKR and other NGOs, but there is no plan about it for the time being,” she said.


Her sidekick, Maria Chin Abdullah reaffirmed her statement, saying that there would not be a BERSIH 4.0.


“We have no plans to organise BERSIH 4.0 at this time, but if others want to have it, it is their right.We will not be involved and will not be held responsible should anything happen to BERSIH 4.0,” said Maria, who is also a member of the BERSIH steering committee.

And yet another member of the committee, Hishamuddin Rais has come out with a similar statement.


He told the media at the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCH) Wednesday that at this juncture they had no plans to organise BERSIH 4.0, and this has been agreed upon by 84 other NGOs.


All the BERSIH leaders who made the statements are leaders of NGOs aligned to the PKR de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.


The question is why the BERSIH steering committee must be defensive and repeat the same statements again and again on different days?


Is it because Ambiga’s statement as chairman holds no more clout?


Consider this – if during earlier BERSIH outing, the NGOs and PKR were more prominent, but after BERSIH 3.0 it is PAS that has come to the fore.


On May 12, PAS spiritual leader, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat gave a signal that there would be a BERSIH 4.0.


If BERSIH 3.0 had been a sit in protest similar to The George Soro’s sponsored ‘Occupy Wall Street’, “BERSIH 4.0 will be about ‘sitting and debating”, said PAS youth leader Nasruddin Hassan.


“One million people for BERSIH 4.0,” said PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu.


All the above statements pertaining to BERSIH 4.0 were made by PAS leaders, and not BERSIH or PKR as it was in the past.


Meanwhile, Anwar Ibrahim, as the leader of Pakatan Rakyat said they didn’t know anything about PAS’s post mortem of BERSIH 3.0…at least not until they started to clamour for BERSIH 4.0.


We can see the problems within BERSIH and the disparate ranks of the opposition parties hedging it.


Although such things are hidden, nevertheless the voices calling for BERSIH 4.0 seem to tell all…and to indicate that things have not been right with BERSIH 3.0.


So, what is really happening? Is PAS not satisfied with the way BERSIH was organised earlier, considering that it happened mostly because of PAS members, but at the end of the day the ‘glory’ went to Ambiga and Anwar?


Is BERSIH 3.0 now a liability due to interference from Anwar Ibrahim and Azmin Ali, making it imperative for yet another ‘forceful’ outing in the form of BERSIH 4.0 to cover up the mistakes?


- pisau.net