The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (in malay called Gabungan Pilihanraya BERSIH dan Adil) or BERSIH (meaning clean in Malay) is a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and was supported by Pakatan Rakyat. The leader of BERSIH, Ambiga Sreevenasan initially said the main aim of BERSIH demonstration is to call for free and fair elections in Malaysia. In other words, no previous elections in Malaysia were fair and clean. Is it true? Although there are no clear evidences to suggest that all the previous elections in Malaysia are not fair and clean, but definitely all those peoples who previously are involved in the general election certainly know whether our general election is conducted in a fair and clean manner or otherwise. As a nation, we are about fifty-five years old and during those times, we had several general elections and the bloodiest one is in 1969. In all the previous general election, Barisan had won and ruled our country. Anwar Ibrahim was once among the supreme leader of Barisan National and I am sure he is one of those who know whether our previous elections were conducted in clean and fair or otherwise. Why Anwar and Ambiga use street demonstration and not negotiation to solve the problem? As long as I know, Anwar had used street demonstration even when he was a student leader in University Malaya and the leader of Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM). Now at the age of sixty-five, Anwar still uses the same method to pressure the government. Anwar knew the method works. The only time there is no street demonstration in Malaysia is when Anwar Ibrahim was with the ruling government and when he was in Sungai Buloh Prison. I would say as long as Anwar is not with the government or in prison, there will always be a street demonstration in Malaysia. Anwar is the Guru of street demonstration in Malaysia. What Anwar wants to achieve with street demonstration? With street demonstration, Anwar wants to tarnish whatever good image of the ruling government and Anwar wants to paint the image of cruelty and injustice to the ruling government. When there are crowds of thousand of peoples and with no proper control by the organizer, surely they are some who will not follow the instructions of the police. When the police start to fire tear gas towards the demonstrators, certainly it gives the image to Malaysians and international communities that Malaysian’s government does not allow freedom of speech to her peoples. Once the image of cruelty and injustice are painted to the ruling government the purpose of BERSIH demonstration is achieved. (more…)
