A warning for Umno: Bersih fire burns on, Ambiga feted in Australia

The overwhelming response to Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan during a speech at Australian National University serves as a real warning to Umno and it is one that they are taking seriously.

Indeed, they are sizing up and trying out all ways and means to counter the growing reform wave threatening to end its 5-decades hold on political power - all except for the right way.

Prime Minister Najib Razak and cousin Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who masterminded the highly-reviled crackdown against the July 9 Berish rally for free and fair elections, have suffered huge popularity-ratings drop as a result of their heavy-handed moves to outlaw Bersih.

Yet the Najib administration has not learned its lesson and is still trying to demonize Ambiga and the Bersih committee rather than admit that it is the people who have grown up and want a better functioning democracy than that which their Umno party is willing to give.

Just a day ago, police banned a homosexual and transgender rights event due to be opened by Ambiga, calling on all Muslims to shun the reform movement inspired in 1998 by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and revived by the July 9 Bersih rally. It is strange that Najib and his advisers have failed to realize that Bersih became larger than life because of the very obstacles that they rolled out against it.

Already, the ban on the Seksulaiti Merdeka is starting to boomerang on them. While most Malaysians still tend to be homophobic, they dislike the intimidating style of the police and the Umno government even more.

International observers

During the July hey-days, Bersih supporters were invincible. Their spirit and courage surmounted each and every obstacle that Najib, Hisham and the police dished out. This made Bersih a legend, and hence till now, the overwhelming support for Ambiga and team from the Malaysian diaspora hoping to wave goodbye to Umno's political monopoly that has long since been soured by corruption, racism and bigotry.

At the packed ANU auditorium today, Ambiga challenged the Najib administration to invite international observers for the next general election. If truly, the GE-13 would be fair and clean, there was nothing for Najib to fear and it would also silence critics who still harp at the legacy of cheating and votes-rigging left by the Mahathir era.

“If you say the electoral system is OK, get international observers. Prove it to us. Bring in the international observers, let them observe our elections. That’s my call to the Malaysian government," said Ambiga to loud applause.

“If you say your system is fine and that it doesn’t need electoral reform before the 13th general election, I dare you to bring in international observers. And let them determine if our elections are free and fair.”

Bersih burns on

The crowd cheered and clapped when Ambiga recounted the July 9 rally held in Kuala Lumpur and more than 30 cities worldwide. When it was over, she was mobbed by students and other participants who had come to hear her talk about Bersih, and the hope and inspiration it gave to the marginalized and oppressed all over the world.

Ambiga’s appearance at the ANU law school is the last leg of her lecture tour of Australia following several earlier engagements in Melbourne and Sydney. She also met with Australian political leaders from various parties and foreign policy officials, highlighting to them Bersih's campaign for electoral reform and its eight key demands.

Malaysia Chronicle