Don't let Dr M's "UGLY LEGACY" rear its head, come show your electoral unity on June 22 - Pakatan tells Malaysians

Amid calls from former premier Mahathir Mohamad for "tough" action against the Opposition, Pakatan Rakyat leaders called on Malaysians to come together to celebrate their electoral unity defend their fundamental electoral rights and stop the elder leader's "ugly legacy" from rearing its head.

"It is very important for all Malaysians to come to Padang Merbok on June 22 to celebrate their electoral unity and to fight electoral corruption and fraud," MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli told Malaysia Chronicle.

"More so now when Mahathir's ugly legacy is rearing its head, using intimidation and clampdown to stifle the legitimate right of the people to express their protest against electoral fraud."

City Hall giving Black 505 the runaround, just like in BERSIH 3.0?

Rafizi, along with Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul and Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, had met with City Mayor Ahmad Phesal Taib and Dang Wangi district police chief Zainuddin Ahmad earlier this morning over the venue for the Black 505 rally, which the Pakatan leaders plan to stage at noon at the Padang Merbok field near by to Parliament House and the Lake Gardens.

The meeting was called by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall but as expected, there was no breakthrough in the impasse over the venue. The Pakatan leaders still want to make use of the Padang Merbok field, while City Hall - in a move reminiscent of its refusal to allow BERSIH 3.0 to hold their rally at the Dataran Merdeka last year - refused.

This despite the Pakatan having already made a previous concession in postponing the date of their rally from June 15 to the 22nd. City Hall offered as replacements the Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Titiwangsa.

"We have to stick with Padang Merbok as it is the best compromise that balances between the need to honour the right for freedom of assembly and the authorities' request to stay away from Dataran Merdeka. I do not foresee the Pakatan top leadership agreeing to make further changes, so I call on all Malaysians to come and stand up for themselves and their future."

Indeed, few people expect Prime Minister Najib Razak's government to offer any real solutions but instead to throw up as many obstacles as it could to stop the protest which aims to highlight the extent of electoral cheating during the May 5 general election.

"Whichever suggestion which comes from us, chances are they will come up with some new excuse. So what's the point, it's better to just stay put at Padang Merbok," MP for Batu Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

Odd situation with the Opposition holding the majority vote

During the Malaysia's newly-concluded 13th general election, Najib's Umno-BN had claimed a victory of 133 seats in the federal Parliament versus the Pakatan's 89. This result was rejected by Anwar and Pakatan amid widespread reports of ballot rigging, fraud and irregularities. Refusing to concede defeat, Anwar had launched a series of rallies to garner public support for his decision.

Codenamed Black 505 to symbolise the death of democracy, the rallies saw unprecedented support from Malaysians of all walks of life, with particular interest shown by young Malaysians in their 20s and 30s. So far, 13 rallies have been held and more than half a million Malaysians have gone to listen to Anwar and team speak. The last Black 505 rally was in Kelantan, organised by PAS youth NGOs, and the next will be held at Batu Pahat, Johor on Sunday.

Anwar had promised to give Malaysians the chance to air their grievances over the "unjust" GE13 "to the world" with the June 22 rally. Many Malaysians had pinned their hopes on a regime change but despite winning 51% of the total votes cast, Najib managed to cling to power due to the massive gerrymandering put in place by past Umno-BN administrations.

Still living by the sword of yesteryear

Meanwhile, the 59-year-old Najib has promised reforms and to put the controversial Election Commission under the purview of Parliament. However, to most Malaysians, Najib was "just talking through his hat". They point to how the police have shown bias by arresting and charging Opposition politicians who organized these rallies, while allowing to escape scot-free those who have been caught red-handed inciting racism and public hatred

Defiant comments made a day ago by the hardline Mahathir and the Election Commission chairman have not helped to improve Najib's image either. While the PM has insisted that GE13 was free and fair, his own coalition filed some 30 election petitions against the controversial EC, nearly matching the number submitted by the Opposition.

The record 60 election petitions against the EC as well as its failure to implement indelible ink successfully during the nationwide ballot were sufficient cause for the EC and his deputy to "resign in disgrace". However, both men have been arrogant in their replies to the widespread calls from the public to step down.

As for Mahathir, who has drawn flak for his "ham-fisted, corrupt and racist" rule during a 22-year tenure from 1981 to 2003, he again drew the ire of the people with his latest call to Najib to get tough with the Pakatan leaders. "Initially, they wanted to recognise the people's choice but now they want to topple the government. They reject the democratic system and opt for street demonstration," Mahathir was reported to have said.

"Mahathir lives in another world. He wakes up to the world he cannot recognize. He still dreams of living by the sword of yesteryear," MP for Batu Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.