As rally ends, Bersih says more to come in push for reforms

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari meanwhile says ‘something must be wrong with the government’ if Bersih is rallying against it.

(FMT) – As Bersih’s rally outside Parliament here ended this morning, its chairman Faisal Abdul Aziz said it was the group’s first move at urging the unity government to implement reforms.

Faisal urged the government to immediately implement the reforms that were promised, demanding a 100% implementation, especially of those involving the electoral system and key institutions.

“This is Bersih’s first step to remind the Madani government, and the MPs who campaigned with the (Pakatan Harapan) manifesto, to reform the nation. We urge the government to provide a timeline and roadmap for the implementation of the reforms for the benefit of the people.

“We also want the government to stop the practice of granting a discharge not amounting to acquittal to any politicians being prosecuted for corruption and misuse of funds,” he said, adding that double standards in law must be rejected.

“Bersih and the Malaysian people are still waiting for the reasons why (former prime minister) Najib Razak’s case is prioritised over hundreds of others who applied for a royal pardon,” he said during the rally today.

Faisal also handed over a memorandum stating Bersih’s demands to PKR’s Selayang MP William Leong, who accepted it on behalf of the government.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who was also present to receive the memorandum, said “something must be wrong” if Bersih is rallying against the unity government.

“We all know Bersih used to have good ties with those in government now (Pakatan Harapan), so the fact that they are here now, something must be wrong,” he said.

However, PKR’s Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said the “reformasi” movement was not dead but an “ongoing process”.

“It never died, and we will continue efforts to ensure that ‘reformasi’ goes on, especially separating the role of the public prosecutor and attorney-general,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, former Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said the Bersih rally was “much awaited” and would set the tone for the ongoing Dewan Rakyat sitting.

She said the gathering would remind members of the House that the implementation of reforms promised during the last general election was long overdue.

She also said it was vital that the government immediately set various reforms in motion, including the Political Financing Act and limiting the prime minister’s term of office.

Close to 100 protestors turned up for the Bersih rally today, gathering at Plaza Tugu Negara before marching towards the Parliament building at about 8.30am.

The protestors held yellow signs with phrases such as “Don’t get comfortable” and “Clean and fair” while chanting “Tuntut Reformasi, Tolak DNAA, Rakyat Bangkit”.

Other MPs who greeted the rally-goers included Muda’s Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim, and Sungai Petani MP Taufiq Johari, also of PKR.