Protest mounts as more reports are lodged against Bersih march

(The Star) – Protests against the opposition-initated Bersih 2.0 rally continues to mount with at least four more police reports lodged against the organisers, and the Deputy Prime Minister condemning it as a plot to topple the Government.

This follows the stand taken by Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan that the coalition would proceed with the planned rally on July 9 despite warnings by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar to arrest all illegal protesters.

The Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma), Wira and Wirawati Perkasa (the youth and women’s wing of the Malay rights group) and the Malaysian Veteran Armed Forces Association lodged separate reports against the group at the Dang Wangi police station yesterday.

The latest police reports bring the number of reports lodged against the demonstration so far to 422.

In KOTA KINABALU, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the opposition agenda was to create a hate campaign against the Government by raising issues beyond Bersih’s call for clean and fair elections.

“They are trying to use street demonstrations to create a hate momentum against the Government to achieve their road to Putrajaya’ agenda,” the Deputy Prime Minister said after opening the Beaufort Umno division meeting yesterday.

Muhyiddin said the group was being used by Pakatan Rakyat parties to create public anger against the Government so that when elections are called, the people would reject the ruling Barisan Nasional.

He suspected the opposition would use Bersih to twist issues like the increased price of goods and corruption as part of its agenda to wrest Federal power.

On a plan by Umno Youth to have a counter-rally, Muhyiddin advised movement leader Khairy Jamaluddin to reconsider it and take into account the consequences of such rallies to the economy, peace and livelihood of the people.