Hisham declares Bersih t-shirt illegal
He used the rationale to justify the detention of some 100 people since the weekend as Prime Minister Najib Razak stepped up a face-off with the country's civil society over the rally.
T-shirt revolution sweeps Malaysia
The Bersih 2.0 rally or A Walk for Democracy is slated for July 9. It has already been declared illegal by the government despite this contravening the country's federal constitution which allows for peaceful assembly and gathering by the citizens.
The rally is organised by 62 of the country's top NGOs led by former Bar Council president Ambidga Sreenevasan, a recipient of the US State Secretary's prestigious International Women of Courage Award.
It plans to gather Malaysians from all walks of life to march to the Palace in Kuala Lumpur to deliver an 8-point memorandum to the King, urging urgent electoral reforms. (scroll below for full list)
Bersih has repeatedly said it is non-partisan and has even invited Najib's BN government to take part. But the BN has rejected, insisting that the rally was an opposition ploy.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan coalition has been more savvy, promising to send members to support the citizens' march. Most noteworthy was the call from the Islamist PAS party to all its one-million-members to attend.
Brace for a Najib power-grab
On Tuesday, Anwar told the nation to brace for "pre-emptive" arrests as he feared Najib would use the rally to launch a crackdown on dissidents as he fights to retain power.
"Corrupt and wicked leaders will use whatever excuse to maintain their grip on power," Anwar, who is also the PKR de-facto head, had told reporters.
He was also among the slew of PKR and PAS leaders called in by the police for questioning over the Bersih rally. Lawyers have condemned the BN government for its high-handed approach, urging the Bersih organizing committee to sue for harassment and intimdation.
On Wednesday, a total of 14 people including PKR MP for Teja Chang Lih Kang and DAP MP for Jalong Leong Mee Meng were detained for calling for the release of PSM MP for Sungai Siput Dr Michael Jeyakumar.
BN's bullying ways
Michael and 29 other PSM members have been detained since the weekend for allegedly rekindling Communism and waging war on the King.
The group consisted of mostly lower-income grassroots members who were on their way to a roadshow believed to related to the Bersih rally. 14 were women and they havce complained of assault and deplorable treatment by the police including being forced to change clothes in front of male officers.
Arrested this morning along with Chang and Leong were other PKR and DAP members. Eight were found to be wearing Bersih t-shirts while six were wearing the DAP's Ubah t-shirt.
The 14 were amongst a of 50 distributing the Jalur Gemilang (Malaysian flag) and DAP newsletter Rocket at the Sungai Siput market.
Perak police chief Deputy Comm Shukri Dahalan said the group was detained under Section 25 of Police Act and Section 511 of Penal Code.
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