Mat Sabu: I never declared Bersih 4.0
(The Ant Daily) – Some in pro-electoral reform movement Bersih and allied NGOs were up in arms recently when news reports quoted PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu as declaring that Bersih 4.0 will be held in 2014 with one million people to attend.
Mohamad was reported to have declared that PAS will stage two mega rallies in 2014 with Bersih 4.0 being one of them.
This led to several of them on the warpath, fearing that Mohamad, more popularly known as Mat Sabu, and the Islamic party were looking to hijack the non-partisan electoral reform movement.
Mat Sabu, however, clarified to theantdaily what he really said, putting those concerns to rest.
The PAS leader denied that he was declaring the advent of Bersih 4.0 rally but only offering PAS’ assistance.
“It was a misunderstanding. I never said Bersih 4.0, I never actually said a million people,” he said when contacted.
“I said that when, and if they decide to hold it, we will support them. The time, place and date are up to them to decide. The movement decides on its own,” Mat Sabu stressed.
He related that it was the norm for the Islamist party to offer support to causes that it too fights for, like the upcoming anti-GST rally organised by the coalition of NGOs like Jerit and the rest.
Similarly, PAS would only be a participant and the May 1 anti-GST rally organisers would decide other details, he said.
This was not the first time that political parties were accused of hijacking the hugely popular Bersih movement.
Previously, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Mat Sabu were also accused of “hijacking” past Bersih rallies.
Ambiga: There will definitely be a Bersih 4.0 rally if EC does not respond
(The Star) – Bersih chairman Datuk S. Ambiga has announced that Bersih 4.0 will definitely take place unless the current Elections Commission (EC) steps down.
Addressing the crowd at a Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) fund-raising dinner in a school hall in Jalan Hang Jebat in KL, Ambiga said that she guarantees demonstrations will be held if the EC proceeds with its planned delineation of parliamentary and state constituency boundaries before the electoral rolls are cleaned.
“This is not a threat but a promise. We have to take it out there and make them realise we mean business,” she said.
One million people to join Bersih 4.0, says Mat Sabu
(TMI) – One million people will join the next Bersih rally in protest if Putrajaya does not implement immediate electoral reforms, Mohamad Sabu has said.
The PAS deputy president pledged his party’s commitment to organising the next Bersih rally, saying it would be necessary if the government did not initiate proper polls reforms before the next general election.
