Anwar: No Bersih Demo If PM Can Guarantee Fair Elections

(Bernama) – SHAH ALAM — The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) will be asked to call off its planned illegal street demonstration for July 9 if the prime minister can guarantee free and fair elections in the country.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said he was willing to ask Bersih chairman S.Ambiga to cancel the plan right away if Najib Tun Razak could give the assurance.

“If the prime minister can guarantee this and a clean electoral roll as well, we don’t need to hold a mass procession,” said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader when winding up his speech at the party’s General Election Convention, here, yesterday.

Bersih plans to hold an illegal demonstration to demand for free and fair elections, the electoral roll to be cleaned up, postal voting to be reformed, using of undelible ink for voters, and free and fair access to the media.

Anwar, in his speech, also expressed regret over accusations by some quarters that he was behind the planned demonstration.

He also reminded party members dissatisfied with the choice of candidates for the general election to bring up the matter through the right channels and not to lobby him to determine the candidates.