Is Bersih just an empty vessel making a loud noise?

This writer says Bersih is a nine-year old coalition that lacks any form of depth or organisation but is big on being vague and gushing rhetoric.

COMMENT

By Hafidz Baharom

As the former chairman of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih), Ambiga Sreenevasan should not be issuing statements based on pure rhetoric similar to that being uttered by the prime minister.

In her latest statement to the press, she said that Bersih would continue its move to protest to “save the next generation”. She also said that those opposing the rally were bringing up all the same issues as before.

Some have said I am being unfair. I apologise, but this so-called NGO called Bersih began in 2006 and is now almost a decade old. It should have got its act together by now instead of still making vague and simplistic demands without any explanations as to why.

Truth is, I am opposed to this rally based on what I see now. Bersih is a nine-year old coalition that lacks any form of depth or organisation.

Did it achieve any milestones? Yes, it did. There is no denying it. But there is so much more it has yet to achieve or is supposed to achieve when it talks about free and fair elections. This was, of course, before it jumped on the bandwagon to fight for the economy too.

Similarly, there will be the emergence of the same stupid group, led by the same stupid people that protested right outside Ambiga’s house years ago; caused the ruckus at the #Nothing2Hide public forum; and are being investigated for the Low Yat mob that injured some members of the public.

I am not with them. What I am pointing out instead is the vagueness of Bersih, being almost a decade old, yet still acting like a premature organisation.

Bersih wants a clean government. Who doesn’t?

Bersih wants free and fair elections? Everyone does.

Bersih wants to save the economy? How? By having a t-shirt sale and sending that Superman on tour?

Go ahead with your rally to prove your “no confidence motion of the people”, by all means.

However the time for symbolic action is over.

Malaysians want something more concrete than just marching through the streets of Kuala Lumpur, facing barricades and running from tear gas just for the purpose of having a story or two to tell or write about.

What we all need are concrete actions and plans. If Bersih insists on saying this rally will save the next generation, care to explain how?

How will this rally, which will see tens of thousands of Malaysians camped out for two days during the weekend, lead to free and fair elections, stop gerrymandering or even “save the economy”?

Of course, they do deserve hearty congratulations for being able to raise RM1.2 million in donations from everyday Malaysians for their cause, even with the organisation asking for merely RM200,000 for this upcoming rally as announced on their official Facebook page.

However at the same time, is it not plausible now to mention what else you plan to do with the RM1 million and more which you are still collecting over your threshold?

As much as I hold our prime minister in contempt for not explaining where the so-called RM2.6 billion donation went from his own accounts, I would ask the same of you.

From my side, I have said it already. Bersih should have a seat at the campaign finance consultative council the prime minister wants to set up.

But what about yourselves?

With the Sarawak state election taking place next year and the redelineation by the Election Commission being challenged in court, has this been abandoned for this rally?

What are your plans leading up to the general election in 2018?

In fact, what have you done this year other than talk about this upcoming rally?

If you insist on being fair, Bersih, then you should be able to face the same amount of scrutiny as the person you have no confidence in.

And if Malaysians do not wish to deal with that kind of scrutiny being put upon you, then I’m sorry to say that they are no better than Orwellian sheep.

So for those attending, enjoy your two-day yellow-shirted festival that will give you memories lasting years that will probably be spent under the same regime, or a new one which will be doing the same things because nobody thought up what was really needed to be reformed.

But hey, at least you’ve been there, done that and bought the t-shirt.

Hafidz Baharom is an FMT reader.