Amid concerns that they may be further arrests, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin accused the Bersih organisers of being "stubborn" and of wanting to "fight with no good intention" after the free-and-fair elections watchdog said it would hold its rally at the Stadium Merdeka this Saturday at 2pm.
Muhyiddin used harsh words against the Bersih organisers and did not once break from his angry tone or take into account that the Bersih had already dropped many of its earlier demands and was now left with no option after the Najib administration refused to allow it to gather at the Stadium Merdeka or to lift the ban on its rally.
Should the deadlock persist, and the stadium is locked up, rally supporters are expected to gather outside the gates and assemble peacefully to declare their commitment to clean and wholesome polls, and governance and transparency before breaking up.
Ominous coming from a 'black' hand
To some pundits, Muhyiddin's tone was ominous as he is seen as one of the black hands guiding the country's most high-profile and severe crackdown in years. There are fears that the Bersih steering committee will be arrested ahead of the Saturday event so as to scare off the crowds.
At press time, Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan, commitee members Wong Chin Huat, Haris Ibrahim and national laureate A Samad Said are still in the police HQ in Kuala Lumpur. They went in at around 2pm on their volition to discuss the rally and crowd safety with the top police officers.
Emerging an hour or so, Ambiga told reporters that the group had informed the Inspector General of Police they would try booking the stadium again and if successful, they would then apply for a police permit.
Given the government's non-conciliatory tone and especially Muhyiddin's sourness, some had expected the Bersih group may be detained.
“They want to provoke and incite hatred. The people are happy now that the street demonstrations have been called off so do not raise this again,” said the DPM.
According to Muhyiddin, any application for the event using the name “Bersih 2.0” would immediately be rejected as the coalition is still considered an illegal organisation.
“So don’t be stubborn. I see the statement they made is like they want to provoke, they just keep wanting to fight, with no good intention, no tolerance, no sincerity," said Muhyiddin.
Will the Bersih 4 come out
Pundits expect a major backlash from the 'unreasonable' BN clampdown. BN fears the rally might unify the people against their coalition with the general election widely expected to be held within months.
Bersih is also demanding that 8 electoral reforms be implemented before the GE. However Prime Minister Najib Razak has refused, defending the existing notoriously corrupted system.
"Let's wait for the Bersih 4 to come out and hear what they have to say. Hopefully won't become like the PSM 6 and the Hindra 5," PKR stalwart Eddie Wong told Malaysia Chronicle.
He was referring to the 6 PSM members who were remanded under the Emergency Ordinance Act tow weeks ago for allegedly taking part in Bersih-related activities. The Hindraf 5 were remanded for more than a year under the Internal Security Act for allegedly masterminding a street protest against the BN's racism and for greater Indian rights.
- Malaysia Chronicle
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