Bersih 2.0 rally – a basketful of faux pas by BN Government, before during after and still ongoing!
By Lim Kit Siang
If someone had been assigned beforehand to a special task to script the worst-possible scenarios for the Najib administration in relation to the July 9 Bersih 2.0 peaceful rally for fair and free elections, nobody could be so creative as to pre-plan the basketful of faux pas committed by the Barisan Nasional government before, during and after “709” and still ongoing.
Before
The basketful of faux pax before 709 included:
1. Arbitrary declaration of Bersih 2.0 as unlawful.
2. Ban on Bersih T-shirts and paraphernalia, to include even yellow T-shirts, coupled with indiscriminate arrests.
3. Police and government disrespect to the Yang di Pertuan Agong who had met with Bersih 2.0 leaders and suggested a compromise of a stadium rally instead of a march – accepted by Bersih 2.0 but reneged by the authorities.
4. Police roadblocks causing infernal traffic congestions in and out of Kuala Lumpur and police lockdown of the federal capital on 709, alienating the general public.
5. Intemperate, extremist threats of counter-demonstrations and racial riots, even another May 13 by Umno Youth and Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali.
6. Abuse of court process in securing an ex parte injunction to ban 91 Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat leaders and activists from key areas in KL on 709.
7. Baseless invective and vicious campaign to demonise Bersih leaders, particularly Bersih Chairperson S. Ambiga, with wild and reckless charges to incite religious and racial hatred and tension.
8. Daily incitement of hate and campaign of lies by BN msm, both printed and electronic, particularly Utusan Malaysia.
9. Gross abuse of power in the arrest of PSM MP Dr. Michael Jeyakumar and other PSM activists first on the ridiculous charges of “waging war against the Agong” and “reviving communism” and later on EO detention-without-trial for being Bersih activists.
10. Refusal/failure of the Election Commission to respond to Bersih 2.0’s eight demands for free, fair and clean elections.
During
1. High-handed police action of mass arrests and individual cases of police violence and brutality.
2. Causing death of Baharuddin Ahmad.
3. Criminal police landrover ramming of PAS Deputy President Mat Sabu on motor-bike.
4. Reckless and indiscriminate firing of tear gas without notice and into KL sentral tunnel – an enclosed space – heedless of the safety of the Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat leaders and the public.
5. Wanton and criminal firing of tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon into Tung Shin Hospital grounds.
After
1. Najib’s fire-breathing speech to 6,000 UMNO leaders the morning after 709.
2. Further plunge in public credibility with police and Umno leaders disputing that 50,000 people had gathered in support of Bersih 2.0 rally, with IGP claiming that it was only 6,000, upped to 10,000 by Hishammuddin with Najib later topping it to 15,000 in London!
