Bersih ignores ban, ready for KL rally

The election watchdog urges Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
to end the clampdown and allow the people to exercise their
constitutional right.

PETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 will proceed with its walk to Stadium Merdeka tomorrow – and will even ignore the police order banning certain individuals from entering Kuala Lumpur.

Yesterday, the police released a list of the names of the 91 individuals who are barred from entering the capital.

Among them are Bersih chief S Ambiga, committee members Haris Ibrahim and Maria Chin Abdullah, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali, Umno Youth head Khairy Jamaluddin, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang.

“The government completely fails to understand that Bersih 2.0 is not about any individual, but about free and fair elections.

“No matter how badly we are repressed or prosecuted, the peaceful voice of the people will be heard in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow,” the Bersih steering committee said in a press statement today.

“Regardless of whether or not the government chooses to be reasonable, the people are firmly resolved to ensure that their rights as patriotic Malaysians will not be curtailed,” it added.

“There is no reason whatsoever to ban anyone from entering the city. We have stated time and again that where Bersih 2.0 is concerned, our only intent is to exercise our constitutional right to gather peacefully and call for clean and fair elections,” the statement said.

The committee reiterated that the election watchdog would abide by the principles of decency and civil behaviour during the rally.

It also urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to be a statesman by immediately calling off the police clampdown and work together for a win-win situation.