Dirty treatment for a clean cause
By Jeswan Kaur, FMT
Shamefully desperate. This best describes Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is going all out to finish off election watchdog Bersih 2.0.
Applying all the dirty tactics in the book, Najib sought the help of his cousin-cum-Home Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, and got Bersih 2.0 declared as an illegal outfit.
Then, there were claims that Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan was the beneficiary of illegal funding including from controversial currency speculator George Soros.
It did not end there. The police claimed it found a bag full of the yellow T-shirts with the word Bersih on it, Molotov cocktails and other weapons days ahead of the July 9 rally.
Still unhappy with the people’s show of support towards the rally, Najib has ordered the police to apply for a court order and arrest the 91 individuals including Ambiga, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang should they set foot in certain parts of Kuala Lumpur.
All that could be done to tarnish the image of Bersih 2.0 and cast doubt on its “Walk for Democracy” rally was being done by Najib and his team. Yet, all that failed to brainwash the people who staunchly support Bersih 2.0.
Utterly desperate, Najib’s last attempt was to “instruct” the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to interfere, which the former dutifully did, urging that the rally due tomorrow not happen on the streets because of the chaos it might lead to.
Bersih 2.0 respectfully abided by the King’s request to not take to the streets, not realising that the “powers that be” were not trustworthy.
Bersih 2.0 agreed to hold the rally in a closed-door environment and identified Stadium Merdeka as the preferred venue, due to its historical significance, that is, being the site where the country’s independence was proclaimed by the country first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.
But the Stadium Merdeka management refused to entertain that request from Bersih 2.0, giving reasons that the stadium was already booked for July 9.
Passing the buck
While the tug-of-war goes on between Bersih 2.0 and Stadium Merdeka, Najib watches from afar, pleased that he succeeded in giving Ambiga the run-around for a venue, passing the buck of dealing with an illegal organisation to the police.
The latest scenario has the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar telling Bersih 2.0 to seize the “golden opportunity” offered by the government for the rally to take place indoors – but best they do it outside Kuala Lumpur.
