A large turnout is likely this weekend going by the public support for the Bersih 4 rally in the form of donations and brisk sales of merchandise. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, August 27, 2015.
The record donations exceeding RM1.5 million collected by electoral reforms coalition Bersih 2.0 ahead of this weekend's rally is an indication of the people's wrath against the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, analysts said.
They concurred that the main fundamentals that would bring the crowd together on August 29 were the people's frustration over the RM2.6 billion donation deposited into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's personal bank accounts, the scandal over state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and economic hardships.
Analysts said a large turnout could be expected at the Bersih 4 rally, given the amount donated by ordinary Malaysians and also the sale of merchandise, including the 35,000 Bersih T-shirts, which were sold out within days.
Centre for Policy Initiatives chief executive officer Dr Lim Teck Ghee said most people felt Umno and BN were to blame for the socio-economic and political reversals and as such, a large turnout could be expected this weekend despite threats by the authorities.
The donations from the public also indicate strong support for the rally and its objectives, he added.
"That so many members of the public are willing to contribute to the Bersih cause in a transparent and accountable way, and the disclosure that a full accounting will be provided, should be a lesson to the government and other stake players in our political system who have been less than open or dishonest about funds they have solicited and received," Lim told The Malaysian Insider.
Independent pollster Ibrahim Suffian agreed, saying that going by T-shirt sales alone, a large turnout could be expected.
The executive director of Merdeka Center said that the RM1.5 million donation collected from the public by the organiser was unprecedented.
A large turnout is expected at this weekend’s rally after unprecedented Bersih T-shirt sales. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, August 27, 2015."Malaysians have always been generous, but mostly through philanthropy and for charitable causes. But in the past, they tended to shy away from donation for causes seen as political, and Bersih is seen as a political action.
"But this is an unprecedented amount, which means many ordinary Malaysians contributed with mostly small amounts."
Ibrahim anticipates that participants this weekend would largely be an urban crowd made up of opposition supporters.
There would also possibly be a "new crop of demonstrators" made up of those who have not participated in such rallies before, he added.
"It will bring out a new crowd of people that have not come out before, such as white collar workers who strongly feel the need to participate."
Ibrahim said that reasons for joining the rally would vary for the different demographics.
Political analysts say the people are unhappy with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and RM2.6 billion donation in the prime minister’s private accounts. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 27, 2015.The Malay crowd, he said, would mostly be protesting against economic issues including the higher cost of living, as well as the goods and services tax (GST).
"There will be a multiple pull factor; for the urban crowd, their main reasons would be governance issues such as the handling of 1MDB while the rural participants would be motivated to demonstrate because of economic hardships," he said.
Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said that the crowd this weekend would cut across the political divide, with BN supporters participating as well.
He added that the main reasons pushing people to the streets this weekend would be their anger over the RM2.6 billion donation and the 1MDB scandal.
"Generally people are unhappy with the BN government, which has to change the way it responds to issues and criticism.
"Those unhappy with Najib will turn up too."
The 34-hour rally will be held on August 29 to 30 to demand institutional reforms and also the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
This is the first Bersih rally to take place in three years, with the last one held in April 2012 in a call for electoral reforms. Some 80,000 people took part in that year's rally, which ended with 60 protesters and 20 policemen injured, and the arrest of 512 people.
Lim meanwhile said that if the general election were to be held between the next few months and 2016, BN would lose badly.
"It will be a good thing for the country for BN to warm the opposition benches for one term – or more – and to bring in fresh faces and new ideas and policies that are relevant and appropriate to the current challenges.
"Most of all, BN has to regain public trust and confidence that it is not a corrupt and crony-ridden group of parties milking the Malaysian rakyat and whose shelf life is long over," Lim said.
- TMI
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