The home minister claims that the rally has not gained traction with the people but PKR says it expected 50,000 of its members to show up for the rally.
FULL REPORT
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bersih 3.0 protest planned for April 28 has gained minimal “traction” with the people, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
Speaking to reporters here today, he reiterated the government’s stand that the electoral watchdog’s rally was not considered a security threat.
On the contrary, he added, it was the organisers who faced the threat of drawing negative public perception.
Describing the upcoming protest as “really nothing”, Hishammuddin said: “It’s just some people who want to gather.”
“If it’s about parliamentary democracy, we had the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms… on the Internal Security Act, it (will be) repealed. On PTPTN (higher ecucation loans), we must consider the rationale of free higher education and now on Lynas (rare earth plant),” he added.
The home minister said all these issues were put into one “pot” and the public was aware that the true intention behind the rally was political.
Hishammuddin added that the organisers’ decision to hold the rally so close to the general election would also lead the public to question the timing and whether the motive was sincere.
“As far as the threat to public perception is concerned, (the organisers) need to face the risks in the coming general election,” he said.
As for holding protests, the home minister said this was normal in today’s democracy and had become a global culture.
He said the government had dealt with these issues in a “proper and progressive manner”, adding that it was up to the people to decide if such actions were good for the nation’s future.
Hishammuddin also assured that the police would not crack down on these protests, unless the organisers fail to keep their word and cross the line.
“When this happens, don’t blame the police,” he said.
Bersih’s previous rally in last July grabbed international attention when the police fired tear gas and water cannons on the tens of thousands who took the streets demanding for clean and fair polls.
The move proved to be an error for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s administration as the government drew widespread condemnation for the high-handed action.
This time around, the authorities had decided to exercise more restraint and tolerance.
50,000 from PKR for Bersih 3.0
In another development, speaking to reporters at Parliament, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the party expected 50,000 of its members to show up for the Bersih rally.
Saifuddin said that these members were likely to come from the Federal Territory, Selangor and neighbouring states.
“We’ve got about 500,000 party members; so let’s say we can mobilise 10% of that,” he said, but added that “even less than 5%” would be satisfactory.
Nevertheless, he said a figure close to 50,000 was “achievable”.
He said the party leadership, confident that members would go to Dataran Merdeka on their own, would not arrange for transportation.
“They will manage it themselves,” he said. “They’ve been doing this sort of thing for the last 12 or 13 years. There is already a standard, unwritten, operating procedure. As far as party members are concerned, they will come if we just give them a standard instruction.
“The bottom line is they know they have to be there.”
Selangor PAS recently announced that it would mobilise at least 50,000 people to join the rally.
PRM to be at the rally too
Meanwhile, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) warned the government to be careful how it handles Bersih 3.0, saying the planned rally has garnered the support of a large section of Malaysians.
“The people have seen better things in other countries, and unless the government listens, its credibility will be lower than in 2008. If you continue with your old methods and tactics, your legitimacy as a government will not be accepted,” PRM president Rohana Ariffin told FMT.
“This is simply a march for clean elections. Overseas, we’ve already seen people demanding the downfall of a government. Now, our government has to be careful how it deals with the rakyat over Bersih 3.0 [or risk seeing repercussions].”
She said that many of Bersih 2.0’s previous demands have not been met despite the government setting up a Parliamentary Select Committee which recently produced a 22-point recommendation.
These unfulfilled demands, she said, included the 21-day campaign period, the cleaning up of the voter rolls, and fair excess to the media.
“So far only the indelible ink has been promised. Many others are still very grey. I just hope that the government can implement real changes by the next [general] election,” she added.
Rohana said that because Malaysian society has matured and there is a much greater level of literacy with the Internet generation, public expectations of the government are also higher.
FULL REPORT
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bersih 3.0 protest planned for April 28 has gained minimal “traction” with the people, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.Speaking to reporters here today, he reiterated the government’s stand that the electoral watchdog’s rally was not considered a security threat.
On the contrary, he added, it was the organisers who faced the threat of drawing negative public perception.
Describing the upcoming protest as “really nothing”, Hishammuddin said: “It’s just some people who want to gather.”
“If it’s about parliamentary democracy, we had the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms… on the Internal Security Act, it (will be) repealed. On PTPTN (higher ecucation loans), we must consider the rationale of free higher education and now on Lynas (rare earth plant),” he added.
The home minister said all these issues were put into one “pot” and the public was aware that the true intention behind the rally was political.
Hishammuddin added that the organisers’ decision to hold the rally so close to the general election would also lead the public to question the timing and whether the motive was sincere.
“As far as the threat to public perception is concerned, (the organisers) need to face the risks in the coming general election,” he said.
As for holding protests, the home minister said this was normal in today’s democracy and had become a global culture.
He said the government had dealt with these issues in a “proper and progressive manner”, adding that it was up to the people to decide if such actions were good for the nation’s future.
Hishammuddin also assured that the police would not crack down on these protests, unless the organisers fail to keep their word and cross the line.
“When this happens, don’t blame the police,” he said.
Bersih’s previous rally in last July grabbed international attention when the police fired tear gas and water cannons on the tens of thousands who took the streets demanding for clean and fair polls.
The move proved to be an error for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s administration as the government drew widespread condemnation for the high-handed action.
This time around, the authorities had decided to exercise more restraint and tolerance.
50,000 from PKR for Bersih 3.0
In another development, speaking to reporters at Parliament, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the party expected 50,000 of its members to show up for the Bersih rally.
Saifuddin said that these members were likely to come from the Federal Territory, Selangor and neighbouring states.“We’ve got about 500,000 party members; so let’s say we can mobilise 10% of that,” he said, but added that “even less than 5%” would be satisfactory.
Nevertheless, he said a figure close to 50,000 was “achievable”.
He said the party leadership, confident that members would go to Dataran Merdeka on their own, would not arrange for transportation.
“They will manage it themselves,” he said. “They’ve been doing this sort of thing for the last 12 or 13 years. There is already a standard, unwritten, operating procedure. As far as party members are concerned, they will come if we just give them a standard instruction.
“The bottom line is they know they have to be there.”
Selangor PAS recently announced that it would mobilise at least 50,000 people to join the rally.
PRM to be at the rally too
Meanwhile, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) warned the government to be careful how it handles Bersih 3.0, saying the planned rally has garnered the support of a large section of Malaysians.
“The people have seen better things in other countries, and unless the government listens, its credibility will be lower than in 2008. If you continue with your old methods and tactics, your legitimacy as a government will not be accepted,” PRM president Rohana Ariffin told FMT.
“This is simply a march for clean elections. Overseas, we’ve already seen people demanding the downfall of a government. Now, our government has to be careful how it deals with the rakyat over Bersih 3.0 [or risk seeing repercussions].”
She said that many of Bersih 2.0’s previous demands have not been met despite the government setting up a Parliamentary Select Committee which recently produced a 22-point recommendation.
These unfulfilled demands, she said, included the 21-day campaign period, the cleaning up of the voter rolls, and fair excess to the media.
“So far only the indelible ink has been promised. Many others are still very grey. I just hope that the government can implement real changes by the next [general] election,” she added.
Rohana said that because Malaysian society has matured and there is a much greater level of literacy with the Internet generation, public expectations of the government are also higher.
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