The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (better known by its Bahasa Malaysia name “BERSIH 2.0”) is a coalition backed by 88 Malaysian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with the objective of campaigning for free and fair elections in Malaysia. BERSIH’s eight demands, which remain relevant since the first public demonstration in 2007, are:
============================================
1. Refo
rm postal ballot
3. Use of indelible ink
4. Minimum 21 days campaign period
5. Free and fair access to media
6. Strengthen public institutions
7. Stop corruption
8. Stop dirty politics
============================================
To date, BERSIH has coordinated five public demonstrations.
****************************Bersih 1*************************
The first demonstration by BERSIH, held in November 2007, saw tens of thousands of ordinary Malaysians take to the streets in support of free and fair elections. In response to this peaceful assembly, the government set up multiple road blocks and altered train schedules to obstruct participants, and fired chemically laced water cannons and tear gas at the unarmed protestors. The demonstration culminated in the Bersih delegation handing over a memorandum, meant for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, at the Istana Negara.
****************************Bersih 2**************************
In July 2011, the coalition (now led wholly by civil society and thus renamed BERSIH 2.0) launched a second demonstration, Bersih 2, to continue the struggle for free and fair elections. Tens of thousands of people gathered in the nation’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, as well as in 38 other cities around the world. Again, the government set up multiple road blocks to obstruct participants, and fired water cannons and tear gas at protestors. The police also arrested over 1,600 people, including event organisers and opposition party leaders. Under pressure from the events of Bersih 2, the Prime Minister set up a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to address the issues raised by BERSIH 2.0. In early April 2012, the PSC report was released, and hastily passed without debate in the Barisan Nasional controlled Dewan Rakyat. Though the PSC report contains some sound recommendations, it falls far short in numerous areas. Many of the recommendations put forth, including the eight demands of BERSIH 2.0, can and should be implemented before the impending 13th General Elections, not after the elections as the report suggests. Additionally, neither the PSC nor the government appears to have taken seriously the many allegations of electoral fraud.
****************************Bersih 3**************************
Wholly unsatisfied with the PSC report, BERSIH 2.0 held the Bersih 3 sit-in (“duduk bantah” in Bahasa Malaysia) on 28 April 2012 across Malaysia and throughout the world. In addition to the demands of the previous Bersih demonstrations, Bersih 3 has three demands, namely:
============================================
1. The Election Commission must resign, as it has failed in its responsibility and has lost the confidence of the public.
2. The electoral process must be cleaned before the 13th General Elections.
3. Invite international observers to observe the 13th General Elections. We will continue our struggle for free and fair elections, assembling and expressing our views peacefully as are our rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
****************************Bersih 4**************************
On 6th July 2015, in the wake of revelations of a massive corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak, BERSIH 2.0 issued a press statement calling for 10 institutional reforms to stop corruption and call for clean and fair elections. Following this statement, Najib continued to dismantle and interfere with ongoing investigations. As a result, on 29 July 2015, BERSIH 2.0 announced a fourth mass rally would be held for 34 hours on the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. The demands for this rally incorporated the 10 institutional reforms into 5 simple demands:
1. Clean elections
2. Clean government
3. The right to dissent
4. Protect parliamentary democracy
5. Save the economy
****************************Bersih 5**************************
BERSIH2.0 recognises that the root cause of the political crisis and 1MDB scandal is the failure of our democratic system and institutions. Therefore, BERSIH’s demands go beyond the 1MDB issue and the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Nazak. For a new and reformed Malaysia, we must institute changes to our flawed governance system. Specifically, the five demands of BERSIH5 are:
1. Clean election
2. Strengthen parliamentary democracy
4. Right to dissent
5. Empowering Sabah and Sarawak
***********************Support BERSIH 2.0******************
Donate to:
Account No: 512295102931
Account Name: Bersih & Adil Network Sdn Bhd
Bank: Maybank PJ Old Town Branch
