Bersih 2.0
Bersih 2.0 has declared its rally planned for July 9 will happen at the Stadium Merdeka regardless of the pronouncements of its detractors otherwise.
In a statement issued late this evening signed off by the full membership of its 14-member steering committee, the coalition calling for clean and fair elections said they “will not for one moment be swayed from our decision to gather there peacefully.”
Setting aside the warnings, threats and clampdown seen the past two weeks against public displays of support for the rally planned for this Saturday, they expressed disappointment with what they said was Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his cabinet’s betrayal of an earlier promise to allow the much anticipated rally to take place within a stadium.
“Bersih 2.0 is disappointed in the manner in which the Prime Minister and his cabinet has reneged on their offer to provide a stadium for us to hold our peaceful gathering.
“As members of civil society that are committed to principles of integrity, we fully intend to abide by the advice of Tuanku DYMM SPB YDP Agong and hold our gathering in a stadium to state our demand for clean and fair elections.
“We have chosen Stadium Merdeka as the best venue for this event, due to its symbolic nature and central location, and we will not for one moment be swayed from our decision to gather there peacefully.
“If the Prime Minister is a man of his word, he will make the appropriate arrangements for the event to proceed peacefully at Stadium Merdeka,” said the coalition.
Following is the statement from Bersih in full
Bersih 2.0 will happen at Stadium Merdeka on July 9th
Bersih 2.0 is disappointed in the manner in which the Prime Minister and his cabinet has reneged on their offer to provide a stadium for us to hold our peaceful gathering.
As members of civil society that are committed to principles of integrity, we fully intend to abide by the advice of Tuanku DYMM SPB YDP Agong and hold our gathering in a stadium to state our demand for clean and fair elections.
We have chosen Stadium Merdeka as the best venue for this event, due to its symbolic nature and central location, and we will not for one moment be swayed from our decision to gather there peacefully.
If the Prime Minister is a man of his word, he will make the appropriate arrangements for the event to proceed peacefully at Stadium Merdeka.
Recent statements by the Deputy IGP seem to indicate that the police fully intend to take action against us if we do anything on July 9th beyond staying at home.
However, patriotic Malaysians who want nothing but the ability to choose our leaders through genuinely democratic means will never be cowered by the unjust and immoral exercise of power. Our first and foremost responsibility is to our future and our children, and we have resolved that they shall inherit a nation ruled by not by fear, but by the principles of justice.
Whatever happens between now and then, the rakyat will gather peacefully in an orderly fashion to call for clean and fair elections at Stadium Merdeka on the 9th of July at 2pm. We are coming, we will be peaceful and together, we will build a better Malaysia.
Steering Committee
Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0)
The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0 comprises:
Ambiga Sreenevasan (Chairperson), Andrew Khoo, Arul Prakkash, K Arumugam, Dr Farouk Musa, Haris Ibrahim, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Richard Y W Yeoh, Subramaniam Pillay, Dr Toh Kin Woon, Wong Chin Huat, Yeo Yang Poh and Zaid Kamaruddin.
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