Pakatan Rakyat leaders have hailed the King's call to the Najib administration to meet the Bersih organizers and put an end to the "binge of madness" that has overtaken the country in the past week.
"The Yang di Pertuan Agong’s concern over the binge of madness in the country arising from the July 9 Bersih 2.0 peaceful rally for free, fair and clean general elections is most appropriate and welcome," DAP adviser and Ipoh Timour MP Lim Kit Siang said in a statement.
"Let's not doubt the loyalty and patriotism of Malaysians who want to see free and fair general elections – which is the highest form of love, loyalty and patriotism to Malaysia."
Binge of madness
In a rare call to the BN government, the King had urged conciliation between both Bersih and the government. In the past week, the authorities had arrested more than 100 Bersih activists, mostly for wearing yellow-coloured clothing. Six members of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia were even remanded under the Emergency Ordinance Act for allegedly rekindling Communism and putting the country at risk from "foreign agents".
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein then outlawed Bersih, a coalition of 62 of the country's top NGOs in a move that lawyers alleged was technically flawed and void, and in spirit, reeking of malafide. This is because two other groups that planned to also hold rallies on July 9 - Perkasa and UMNO Youth - were not similarly outlawed. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin took the cake when he warned that "major powers" were hiding behind Bersih to take over Malaysia.
Nonetheless, Najib had continued to play what to him was hardball, but to the others, was political suicide for himself and his BN coalition. The police continued to issue threats and thought nothing of warning that more Emergency Ordinance arrests would be made if the citizens did not obey. UMNO-owned Utusan newspaper added to the fire by calling on Najib to arrest Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan.
It was there a relief to the people, when the King advised Najib to re-start discussion, especially when the police had shut the door on any further negotiations with the Bersih organizers. Bersih has assured that the march would be peaceful, invited Najib and BN to join the rally and offered to accept any route laid out by the police. They had also wanted to discuss crowd control and safety measures, but Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar insisted there would be no further talks.
"We are sure from our past dealings with Ambiga and Bersih that they will talk to the authorities. It is the BN government that we are more concerned about. It must give its commitment to reform the election system and not just hide behind the King to call off the rally," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.
Uplfit ban, release PSM 6
Meanwhile, Pakatan also called on Najib to lift the ban on Bersih and to immediately release the 6 PSM members still in remand.
"As a first positive step in response to the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s concern and call that Malaysia must always conduct itself as “a civilised society” grounded on consultations with all stakeholders in the country, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should meet with Bersih organisers to address legitimate nation-wide concerns about free and fair elections which could be fully taken account in the forthcoming 13th General Elections," said Kit Siang.
"As a second positive step, the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin should lift the ban on Bersih 2.0 and release all persons, including the MP for Sungei Siput Dr. Michael Jayakumar, detained in the past week of high-handed “madness” over the Bersih 2.0 rally."
Bersih is due to hold a press conference on their next move later today.
- Malaysia Chronicle
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