Bersih 6 just a trigger point away, chairperson warns govt

 

Bersih has warned that its sixth major demonstration is just a trigger point away and could take place within this term of government if Putrajaya does not buck up.

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, its chairperson Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz said one of the trigger points is if the government does not impose a moratorium on discharge not amounting to acquittals (DNAA)

“Anything that can trigger the public’s anger (will trigger Bersih 6),” he said.

This includes if former premier Najib Abdul Razak is given a DNAA in any of his ongoing criminal cases.

The second trigger point is if the government does not separate the offices of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.

“The most critical aspects are the DNAA and attorney-general, public prosecutor (reforms),” he said.

Bersih is demanding for the DNAA moratorium to be implemented by this year, and for the attorney-general’s office separation to be implemented next year.

The last major Bersih protest, Bersih 5, was held in November 2016 with an estimation of 40,000 participants.

Its three-day Bersih 4 demonstration the year before that, had around 100,000 participants at its peak.

In both protests, Pakatan Harapan was a key supporter.

Slow on reforms

The two trigger point demands to avoid Bersih 6 are among 10 reforms the group had outlined during their meeting with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim last month.

These include reforms on political financing, redelineation, Parliamentary Service Act and Standing Orders, and a Constituency Development Fund Act.

Faisal said while the group urged the government to fulfil their demand within this term, they are still being reasonable and don’t expect all to be done by next year.

“To us, (the deadline) is before this mandate ends,” he said, noting that some reforms such as on political financing may take more time to implement.

But thus far, however, Bersih’s view is that the government is moving too slowly on reforms.

“We have yet to issue our second report (on government progress). But based on our previous reports, in the context of the reform agenda, it is too slow.

“The government needs to step up especially since they are more stable (now).

“There will always be excuses, so Bersih will also always have an excuse on why there needs to be reforms,” he said.

In the meantime, while waiting for those reforms to be implemented, Faisal said Bersih will be working on building momentum towards the possibility of Bersih 6.

“It is my and others' (in Bersih) commitment to uplift the public’s voice.

“What we are doing now is building the momentum so the public is geared towards that direction (to protest),” he added.

This includes its small-scale protest to hand over its demands to Parliament.

“Even if the ones who joined the demonstration are Harapan supporters, we have shown that we don’t just support them (Harapan) blindly.

“Unlike how it was previously where supporters blindly support (the government) without check and balance, (now) we are not giving (the government) a free pass.

“(Just because) we voted for you and you become the government, (doesn’t mean) you can act as you please. That is not how we are in Bersih,” Faisal added.