Wanita PKR accuses Hisham of treason in Bersih clampdown

PETALING JAYA, July 7 — PKR accused Datuk Seri Najib Razak today of being unable to control his Cabinet after allowing Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to ignore the wishes of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by continuing to obstruct the Bersih rally on Saturday.

Wanita PKR said today that Hishammuddin’s orders for the police to continue arresting supporters of the electoral reform movement and insistence that Bersih is still illegal was an act of treason against Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin “who has already consented to the peaceful gathering.”

“How can Hishammuddin say that despite the Agong meeting Bersih, they will still take action against any Bersih-related activity? This is treasonous and challenges the Agong,” said Wanita PKR vice chief Haniza Talha.

Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin (picture) added that despite Bersih already accepting Najib’s offer to move the street protest to a stadium, the prime minister “has washed his hands and seems powerless to control his own ministers.”

“Who is more powerful? Agong, Najib or Hisham?” the Ampang MP asked.
The King stepped in on Sunday to defuse tension by advising the Najib administration and Bersih 2.0 to hold consultations over the issue of free and fair elections.

But Najib said yesterday that Bersih, although still an illegal entity, will have to make an official application to the police despite the electoral reform movement agreeing to move a planned Saturday street rally to a stadium.

Both Hishammuddin and Deputy Inspector General of Police Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had also insisted that Bersih was still outlawed and required a permit for Saturday’s planned gathering.

“No, they are still banned, still illegal. Nobody can be above the law. Just because Tuanku met them doesn’t mean they are no longer illegal,” Hishammuddin had said, referring to the audience granted by the King to Bersih yesterday, after which it accepted the stadium offer.

The police have continued to make arrests in connection with the rally, most of which revolving around yellow T-shirts with the word Bersih emblazoned on them in a clampdown that has also seen Bersih being declared illegal.