May 24, 2012
Bersih 3.0 co-chairman Datuk A. Samad Said showing the memorandum to the media at Datuk Ambiga’s house. – Photo by Jack Ooi
KUALA
LUMPUR, May 24 – Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has refused to apologise to
anti-Bersih groups who gathered at her home earlier today for what took
place during the April 28 rally, and maintained that Bersih’s struggle
was relevant for Malaysia’s future.
Two anti-Bersih groups – one led by traders calling themselves
“Bersih 4.0” and the other “Halau 1.0” – had gathered near Ambiga’s
residence here in Bukit Damansara earlier today demanding she apologise
for the violence and alleged property damage which occurred during the
Bersih 3.0 rally.
Both groups presented separate memoranda to Ambiga, which was received instead by Bersih co-chairman Datuk A. Samad Said.
“I’m prepared to apologise. I’m 55. I apologise to the next
generation because I did not fight harder... I should have so that
Malaysia won’t descend to this level, that is all I will apologise for.
“It is unacceptable that the situation come to this level that my
neighbourhood was like a war zone, authorities could have nipped it in
the bud,” Ambiga told reporters after the two groups had left.
The former Bar Council chairman stressed that she was “not
unsympathetic to people who genuinely lost money” but added that they
had to weigh their incurred losses to gains made in the name of free and
fair elections.
“I have done enough. There were two memorandums (sic) handed today...
I want you to judge its contents for yourself,” she told reporters.
Ambiga was flanked by most of the Bersih steering committee members
as well as dozens of supporters who came today to show support for the
Bersih co-chairman.
Ambiga’s private residence in Bukit Damansara has been the target of
protest gatherings of late, in the uproar that followed the Bersih 3.0
rally for free and fair elections.
To date, two separate groups have held protests outside her home.
The first involved some 10 traders who prepared about 200 chicken and
beef burgers, and even offered some to the Bersih leader, who is
vegetarian and a Hindu.
The group also promised a larger protest with 500 traders but later
cancelled the May 24 event, saying they had taught Ambiga a lesson after
Bersih said there were no plans for another rally.
A few days later, about 10 retired soldiers from the Malay Armed
Forces Veterans Association (PVTM) exercised their bottoms outside of
Ambiga’s house to protest against the Bersih chief for being — according
to them — an “enemy” of the nation.
“Bersih 4.0” leader Datuk Jamal Md Yunos announced today that his
group of traders will organise a 150,000-strong gathering at Stadium
Bukit Jalil next month as part of an on-going protest to demand
compensation for alleged losses incurred during the April 28 rally in
the city capital.
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