Ambiga's church talk spurs demo

SEREMBAN- ABOUT 100 members of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) demonstrated peacefully to object to Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga giving a speech at a forum in a church hall here yesterday morning.

1Malaysia People's Information Club chairman R. Rajandaran said the forum, which discussed issues relating to the 13th General Election, had misused the church to spread political messages.

"We do not want religion and politics to be mixed in such a programme.

"If one party uses the church for political purposes, then other parties will follow. This will lead to chaos and disturb the harmony in our multi-racial and multi-religious country," he said at a meeting with about 100 club members during a peaceful gathering outside the church here yesterday.

Rajandaran said his NGO had also lodged a police report yesterday to object to the forum.

Ambiga had arrived at the church hall at 11am to deliver her speech. However, an Election Commission enforcement officer for the election campaign of the Rasah parliamentary seat reminded her not to violate the Election Offences Act 1954, which prohibits political campaigning in public areas.

The forum, however, went well without any untoward incident.

Ambiga, in her speech, repeated her points delivered in many programmes, including at a DAP ceramah recently.

She spoke on the need of a country for a government and a strong opposition, besides encouraging voters to exercise their power as voters in the general election.

Present were Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez and Islamic Renaissance Front director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, both of whom are Bersih steering committee members.

- New Straits Times