Bersih chairperson said she will co-operate with the police to make the rally peaceful, even to the extent of allowing them to choose the rally routes

PETALING JAYA: Bersih is bending backwards to get the police to allow the July 9 rally. Its chairperson S Ambiga said that they are even willing to let the police decide on the routes for the rally.

“I told the IGP that we are willing to accept routes that the police outline for us… from KL to PJ.

“And then about 20 of us would go to the Istana Negara to hand over our memorandum,” Ambiga told FMT today.

She also asked the police to protect Bersih rally participants because Malaysia would lose credibility if the police failed to do so,

“I have reminded them that Malaysia sits in United Nations Human Rights Commission hence the need for them to protect rally participants. Malaysia would lose credibility if the police don’t provide security,”she said.

Malaysia was re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council on June 19, 2008. It will serve a three- year term which ends in 2013.

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election otherwise known as Bersih 2.0 would be marching on July 9 from various locations in Kuala Lumpur to Istana Negara to handover their memorandum calling for electoral reforms.

Second meeting next week

Bersih’s current assembly points include the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur building near Dataran Merdeka, Sogo shopping complex and Kampung Baru Mosque before they all converge and head to Istana Negara.

“Our discussion focussed on the basic rights (to) freedom of assembly. What is the meaning of this right if every time someone wants to have an assembly like this, police immediately say no,” she said on the discussion she had with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ismail Omar in Bukit Aman today.

Ambiga added that while Ismail did not give his green light to the suggestion, she would be meeting the police chief again next week to get the police force’s opinion on Bersih’s suggestion.

During the meeting with the IGP which Ambiga described as cordial, she said that the police chief had voiced out security concerns that may take place during the assembly.

“I have assured him that it would be peaceful,” said Ambiga who received death threats via SMS last week.

Apart from Bersih, Umno Youth led coalition called Patriot and Perkasa backed Gerak Aman would also be walking to voice their concerns against Bersih.