Electoral watchdog Bersih is perceived as a supporter of Pakatan Harapan and shares close ties with the coalition’s leaders, according to PAS lawmaker Ahmad Fadhli Shaari.
Therefore, he said when the movement decided to stage a protest against the Anwar Ibrahim administration to demand reforms, it sent a clear signal that “something is wrong”.
He added that it also lent credence to the opposition’s stand regarding the coalition government’s performance.
Fadhli, who was the sole opposition MP to receive Bersih’s memorandum in Parliament this morning, also indicated that Perikatan Nasional is willing to work with the movement to push for reforms.
“We have said this for a long time.
“This government is an ‘empty vessel’ (sembang kosong) which only talks about implementing reforms but sacrificed their values after cooperating with kleptocrats, whom they accused of being corrupt before.
“PN and the opposition will work together on a similar agenda with Bersih. I believe that the government should heed Bersih’s demands,” he said.
The Pasir Mas MP said the PN Youth wing would review the demands made by Bersih and raise them with the PN leadership.
Keep it up
Fadhli urged Bersih not to stop with a single protest and to keep pressuring the government to implement the promised reforms.
Earlier, some 100 participants of Bersih’s #Reformasi100Peratus rally marched to the Parliament grounds to submit a memorandum.
Armed with placards and dressed largely in black and yellow shirts, the group demanded term limits for the prime minister, enhanced whistleblower protection and a review of the Sedition Act.
The electoral watchdog also called for an end to the practice of issuing a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) to politicians and a stop to double standards in the application of the law, referencing the pardon process surrounding the appeal of jailed ex-premier Najib Abdul Razak.
The memorandum was received by Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim and Selayang MP William Leong, both from PKR.
In previous years, Bersih had organised mammoth rallies against the BN government, which was also supported by Harapan politicians.
In 2016, Anwar sent a note from prison calling on Malaysians to join the Bersih 5 rally which demanded for Najib’s resignation as prime minister over the 1MDB scandal.
"We have exhausted all means to strengthen democracy as affirmed in the Merdeka Declaration 1957 and Malaysia Agreement 1963.
"This trust had been violated. Bersih's demands were also ignored.
“Therefore, I urge all Malaysians, in the spirit of brotherhood, to participate in the Bersih 5 rally," he said, adding that their participation will lay the foundation for change.
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