EC's number two Wan Ahmad Wan Omar and Bersih 2.0's S Ambiga will come face-to-face at a talk on July 26.

K Pragalath | July 19, 2011

PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission and Bersih 2.0 will be facing off for the first time next week.

In a talk entitled “What next after July 9?”, EC will be represened by deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar while Bersih 2.0′s S Ambiga will argue her case.

Hosted by Malay daily, Sinar Harian, the talk will be held on July 26, from 2pm to 5pm, at the Karangkraf Media Group auditorium in Section 15, Shah Alam.

The other panellist for the three hour talk will be Professor Shamsul Amri Baharuddin of UKM’s Ethnic Studies Institute.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) chief executive officer Wan Saiful Wan Jan will be moderating the three-hour dialogue.

When contacted, Wan Saiful said: “I will be asking questions that are on the minds of the people that have not been answered.”

Sinar Harian’s executive editor Abdul Jalil said the talk will also allow those attending to field their questions.

On July 9, Bersih 2.0 staged a massive street rally, which saw tens of thousands taking to the streets demanding electoral reforms to ensure clean and fair elections.

The authorities, which have deemed Bersih 2.0 an illegal organisation, responded by firing tear gas and their water cannons, drawing flak from various quarters, both here and abroad.

The handling of the Bersih 2.0 issue and the police’s crackdown have also put Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in an uncomfortable position.

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