Saturday, 24 July 2021
Kampung

Social Inclusion Act

Families on the Edge (Issue 4) May 2021

Families on the Edge (Issue 4) Two-steps forward, one step back: The new normal for...

Read more

Silent Suffering....

Silent suffering: Introduce targeted income support scheme for struggling households We need to ensure that...

Read more
News image

What Can We Do to Start Civilizing our Richest?

What Can We Do to Start Civilizing our Richest? By Sam Pizzigati   What makes...

Read more

Jati Diri

Pelan Bertindak Rakyat

    Kenyataan MediaPenubuhan gabungan Pelan Bertindak Rakyat (TINDAK!)Isnin, 19 Julai 2021 Memandangkan keadaan Covid-19...

Read more
News image

Bumiputera Stateless in Sarawak...

SPECIAL REPORT | Sarawak prides itself as a state that has kept away undocumented migrants,...

Read more

CALL FOR ACTION AND SOLIDARITY

CALL FOR ACTION AND SOLIDARITY Last week artist, Amin Landak and activist Anna Har were...

Read more
Bersih 2 Rally’s 10th Anniversary PDF Print E-mail
Friday, 09 July 2021 11:10

 

10 Years After Bersih 2 Rally: The Work to Build Our Democracy Continues
On this day, 10 years ago, approximately 50,000 ordinary Malaysians gathered in the streets of Kuala Lumpur to demand clean and fair elections. Many took a great personal risk to participate in the rally – gassed, chased, beaten up, or arrested by the police. We will never forget people like Allahyarham Baharuddin Ahmad, Aunty Bersih, Pak Samad, and many more unsung heroes – some of whom are no longer with us. It is in their spirit that we must carry on the work to protect and improve democracy in Malaysia.
The following were the eight demands made in the Bersih 2 rally:

1. Clean the electoral roll
2. Reform postal vote
3. Use indelible ink
4. Free & fair access to media
5. Minimum 21 days campaign period
6. Strengthen public institutions
7. Stop corruption
8. Stop dirty politics

While not all of our goals have been achieved, the Malaysian people should be proud of how far we have come. The 14th General Election enabled a peaceful transition of power for the first time in Malaysia’s history, followed by installation of a new set of Election Commissioners. Since the new team took over, they have improved on the processes of conducting elections, started the process of cleaning up the electoral roll and engaged more with civil society organisations and other stakeholders. An Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) was established with a two-year mandate to explore all areas of reform needed to make our electoral system more robust and fair. Unlike previously, BERSIH 2.0 has been in multiple public dialogues and engagement with the Election Commission and was represented in the ERC to push for electoral reforms. On the table is a review of the current First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) election system, delineation, voters registration, election management body reform, caretaker government, voters education, political financing and all related legal amendments needed. Plans are also underway to lower the voting age to 18, releasing a block of another 4 million voters by GE15 and implementing automatic voters registration.

Our work has not ended, it probably never will. Like you, we are not satisfied with the slow pace of reforms. We acknowledge that things have not turned out the way voters imagined it to be. But progress is not linear and cynicism is not a solution. We do a disservice to ourselves if we give up on our democracy.
From day one, BERSIH 2.0 is clear about our role as an electoral watchdog. We have expanded our scope of work to include spreading public education, monitoring elections, conducting research for policies and legislation related to elections and democracy, and lobbying key legislators and stakeholders to enact meaningful and concrete change.

The Bersih 2 rally and the subsequent protests have normalized protest as a legitimate action to express the Rakyat’s sentiments. At the same time, we are never reckless when it comes to organising big rallies especially when it concerns the health and safety of the participants. We reiterate that holding peaceful rallies are never, and can never be off the table, in a parliamentary democracy.

To celebrate and honor the 10th year anniversary of the historic Bersih 2 rally on 9th of July 2011, we call upon our supporters and volunteers to:

1) Share your stories through #KisahBersih709 or #BersihStories709, an oral history Campaign, which runs throughout July.
2) Wear yellow to commemorate the protest and share your pictures on social media.
3) Join our programs related to Bersih 2 rally’s 10th anniversary, starting with tonight’s webinar featuring the past and present Bersih chairpersons.

The people that showed up on 9 July 2011 in Kuala Lumpur and other cities globally saw that democracy manifest itself in the rakyat. A rally is simultaneously an event, a space, a community, a democratic ideal, and a sense of belonging which contribute to political socialization and civic participation.

BERSIH 2.0 once again thanks the Rakyat for their courage and support for the cause of free and fair elections and democracy shown on the 9th of July 2011. We must continue to be vigilant to work on Malaysian democracy. Let us always remember the moment when thousands of Malaysians sang Negaraku together, and how that made us feel. We will carry this spirit forward, till the fire next time.

Hidup, Hidup! Hidup, Rakyat!

Released by,
The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0

 
 

Events

News image

MYA Against Torture Cartoon Competition

MALAYSIA YOUTH ACTION AGAINST TORTURE CARTOON COMPETITION   SUARAM is organizing a cartoon competition for...

Read more
News image

What is Hate Speech ---Workshop

WHAT IS HATE SPEECH is happening this weekend!   10 Jul 2021 (11-12.30 pm) (Bahasa...

Read more
News image

Launch of Simulated Recall Election...

  LAUNCH OF SIMULATED RECALL ELECTION CAMPAIGN       Join us for the...

Read more

Compass Points

Think Tanks Support HEAP...

  JOINT STATEMENT THINK TANKS SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF THE HEALTH EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN (HEAP)21...

Read more
News image

People's Health Forum -Immediate Steps Needed to Forestall Collapse....

Press Statement by the People's Health Forum on 7 JUL 2021 Immediate Steps Needed to...

Read more

BERSIH - Will MPs Get to Vote During the 5-Day Meeting?

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (BERSIH 2.0) welcomes the announcement yesterday (5 July)...

Read more

Your are currently browsing this site with Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

Your current web browser must be updated to version 7 of Internet Explorer (IE7) to take advantage of all of template's capabilities.

Why should I upgrade to Internet Explorer 7? Microsoft has redesigned Internet Explorer from the ground up, with better security, new capabilities, and a whole new interface. Many changes resulted from the feedback of millions of users who tested prerelease versions of the new browser. The most compelling reason to upgrade is the improved security. The Internet of today is not the Internet of five years ago. There are dangers that simply didn't exist back in 2001, when Internet Explorer 6 was released to the world. Internet Explorer 7 makes surfing the web fundamentally safer by offering greater protection against viruses, spyware, and other online risks.

Get free downloads for Internet Explorer 7, including recommended updates as they become available. To download Internet Explorer 7 in the language of your choice, please visit the Internet Explorer 7 worldwide page.