Why did I join Bersih 2.0?
Yes, if we are not satisfied with the current government, we can always vote them out in the next general election. But how are we going to do that when our election is not as free and fair as we think?
By by Lukas, frustrated electorate
Bersih 2.0 is the first demonstration of my life. Before this, I had never dreamt of joining a demonstration to voice my opinion, and I never believed demonstrations could change anything. Now, what made me change my mind?
The first Bersih demonstration, demanding for free and fair elections, was held in 2007. It was a historic event as about 50,000 Malaysians marched to the King’s palace to hand over the reform memorandum. Malaysia was stunned by what Malaysians could do. It was an unthinkable event before this. The demonstration’s success led to the opposition taking over 5 states in the 2008 general election. The series of shocking historic events opened up my mind. What was impossible before was possible now.
Frustration was the deciding factor for me to join Bersih 2.0. It has been more than 4 years since the 2008 political tsunami hit Malaysia. I thought BN would wake up after the shocking election results and start listening to us, the Rakyat. But things did not change at all. Promises were made every now and then, but none fulfilled. Campaign after campaign had been launched, but most were just merely show and tell. The Rakyat’s money was not spent wisely with mega projects. Worse, there are certain parties in Malaysia who tried to stir up racial tension among Malaysians, and nothing was done by the government to stop them.
I am just tired of our leaders who don’t walk the talk. And I believe a large majority of Malaysians are tired of their lies and empty promises as well. We are the new generation of Malaysia. We are the 2.0 generation. We know how to judge and decide what’s best for us. Mainstream media’s propaganda doesn’t work with us.
Yes, if we are not satisfied with the current government, we can always vote them out in the next general election. But how are we going to do that when our election is not as free and fair as we think? This is not something new. In 2007, Bersih had been demanding for electoral reform. The 4 reforms – use permanent ink on voters, remove entries that are no longer valid such as deceased people, the abolishment of postal votes and equal access for all candidates to print and broadcast media. The 4 points demanded by Bersih were valid. The points did not require the EC to revamp the entire electoral system. But after 5 years, the EC has not done anything to reform the electoral process. The current system favors certain parties. It helps them to stay in power. Hence, no matter how the rakyat tries for change through the ballot box, BN will still stay in power.
To change Malaysia for the better, we first need to tackle the root problem – fix the electoral process. By reforming the process, then will Malaysia be a true democratic country. A country will only develop and move forward through democracy. And this is what the Rakyat is demanding. But why is it so hard for the authorities to understand this? Why are they so reluctant to reform? Bersih 2.0 is only demanding 8 points of reforms – clean the electoral roll, reform the postal ballot, use inedible ink, free and fair access to media, minimum 21 days of campaign period, strengthen public institutions, stop corruption and stop dirty politics. Why is the government not on the Rakyat’s side? The Government should be taking care of the Rakyat. And does it make sense if 1Malaysia is about “Rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan”?
So if the authorities are not listening to us, what should we do? We take it to the streets. Hence, Bersih 2.0 rally was held on the 9th July 2011. Since our voices were not heard by anyone, we marched peacefully on the street to send out a clear message to the authorities. Do not undermine the power of the Rakyat. We are the new generation and we do not keep quiet when something is completely wrong with our country.
I hope the authorities got the message now and will start fixing the electoral process. More than 50,000 Malaysians went down to KL on 9th July for the rally. Ignoring us will just anger us even more.
I plead with the EC to start looking into this matter and the government to push the reforms for the Rakyat. It is s not our choice to choose street demonstrations to convey our message, but it is the authorities who gave us no choice. If our demands were answered before 9th July, there would not have been a Bersih 2.0 march, and I would have been sitting at home and reading a book.
