Activists in KL threaten more marches
Opposition-led group warns of protests if 'biased' head of election body is not removed
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
The Straits Times
AN OPPOSITION-LED coalition for electoral reforms has threatened to take to the streets if the government does not heed its call for the removal of the current Election Commission (EC) chairman.
Bersih ('clean' in Malay), the group that led 10,000 people in a street protest on Nov 10, is pushing the government to retire Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman at the end of this year without renewing his tenure.
They allege that he is biased and not fit to hold office. The commission is meant to be independent, as it oversees the running of elections.
Opposition politician R. Sivarasa told reporters that if Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi ignored their demands, he would then invite a response from the people.
'People will make their protests known in whatever way they deem fit. It can take the form of street demonstrations, it can take the form of different protests,' he said.
Following the mammoth street march on Nov10 to the King's palace, Bersih leaders scuffled again with police last week as they tried to enter Parliament ahead of a vote on a Bill to extend the tenure of the EC chairman.
The Bersih leaders were arrested but released hours later.
The Bill was passed to extend the chairman's retirement age from 65 to 66, but Bersih wants the government to allow Tan Sri Rashid to retire this year and appoint a new chairman. He turns 66 on Dec 31.
Following the Bersih rally, thousands of Indians also took to the streets on Nov 25 to demand help for their community, in a protest that has rattled the government.
The government has warned more than once that it would not tolerate street protests. It has also arrested leaders of even small marches and protests. The five leaders of the Indian protest have been detained under the country's tough Internal Security Act (ISA).
Mr Sivarasa has condemned the ISA arrests, saying the move was meant to silence dissent.
'It will not stop Bersih from doing what it has to do,' he said.
He had earlier led a group of 15 Bersih supporters to hand over a note of protest regarding Tan Sri Rashid to the Prime Minister's Office.
Meanwhile, lawyer A. Sivanesan, who is representing the five Indian leaders in ISA detention, said a court challenge relating to their arrest will be filed soon.
A habeas corpus application had been filed earlier for one of the detainees, Mr M. Manoharan, 46. It will come up in court today for a hearing date to be fixed.
The other four applications will be filed by next Monday.
Mr Sivanesan told The Straits Times they are contending that the two-year ISA detention orders were signed without the usual procedure of police investigation, and therefore not valid.
