Memorandum to SPB Yang Dipertuan Agong

Mengadap Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, yang bersemayam di atas takhta kerajaan Malaysia dengan segala kebesaran dan kemuliaannya.

Assalamu`alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Ampun Tuanku Beribu-ribu Ampun,

Patik sekalian merafak sembah Kebawah Duli Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong memohon izin untuk mengusulkan rayuan kami mengenai penambahbaikan sistem dan proses pilihanraya di Malaysia.

Your Majesty,

The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections 2.0 (BERSIH 2.0) which comprises sixty-two (62) civil society organisations are grateful to Your Majesty for granting us an audience on 5 July 2011.

BERSIH 2.0 believes that the time has come for electoral reofrm in Malaysia. A successful democracy is one that is built based on elections that are clean, free and fair. The right to vote is enshrined in Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Voting is important to allow the rakyat an active voice in government and to ensure the protection of other fundamental rights.

However, a system of clean, free and fair elections must exist so that voters may fully enjoy their right to vote and in order for their votes to be accurately reflected in the governance of the country. A clean, free and fair election would also avoid disputes of election results which, if allowed to occur, may jeopardise the peace and prosperity of the country.

It is the desire and intent of BERSIH 2.0, together with thousands of Your Majesty’s subjects gathered this day, Saturday, 9 July 2011, to appeal to Your Majesty for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to comprehensively study the weaknesses in, and to propose improvements to, the existing electoral system and process. BERSIH 2.0 requests that this Royal Commission of Inquiry comprise members of calibre and who represent all stakeholders.

Your Majesty,

Given that a general election may be called at any time, BERSIH 2.0 together with thousands of Your Majesty’s subjects gathered on this day, humbly invite Your Majesty’s attention to the following eight (8) short-term measures that should be implemented before the 13th General Election.

1. Clean the electoral roll

The electoral roll must be immediately revised and updated to ensure existing irregularities such as impersonation and ‘phantom voters’ are removed.
In the longer term, BERSIH 2.0 suggests for the establishment of an automated voter registration system which is based on the National Registration Department database.

2. Reform postal ballot

The current system of postal ballot needs to be reformed. Disenfranchisement of absent voters can be solved by extending the option to vote by postal ballot or in advance to ALL voters if absent from their constituency on polling day, regardless of whether they are in Malaysia or abroad. In addition, police, military and civil servants must vote normally like other voters if not on duty on polling day. To ensure transparency of the postal voting process, party agents must be allowed to monitor the entire process of postal or advanced voting.

3. Use of indelible ink

Indelible ink is a simple, inexpensive and effective solution to voter fraud used in other parts of the world to minimise voter fraud.

4. Minimum 21 days campaign period

Minimum 21 days campaign period would allow voters more time to gather information and deliberate on their choices.

5. Free and fair access to media

All media agencies, especially state-funded media agencies such as Radio and Television Malaysia (RTM) and Bernama, should allocate proportionate and objective coverage for all political parties. Public debates between candidates should be broadcasted.

6. Strengthen public institutions

The EC must perform its constitutional duty to act independently and impartially so as to enjoy public confidence. The EC must take independent and proactive measures to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and enforce the Election Offences Act 1954 as mandated by the Elections Act 1958. The EC’s repeated mention that they have no power to act is neither accurate in law nor does it inspire the confidence of the people in their ability to fulfil their constitutional role.

Apart from the EC, the public demand that the institutions of this country such as the Judiciary, Attorney-General, Royal Malaysian Police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) act independently, impartially and with integrity at all times in the execution of their duties and in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

7. Stop corruption

All forms of vote-buying during elections, including promises of financial allocations for development projects by Federal and State elected representatives holding administrative positions during the campaign period must stop. Stern action must be taken against those who commit any form of vote-buying.

8. Stop dirty politics

Malaysian citizens are tired of dirty politics that has been the main feature of the Malaysian political arena. All political parties and politicians must put an end to gutter politics. As citizens and voters, we are not interested in gutter politics; we are interested in policies that affect the nation.

Your Majesty,

On this day, Saturday, 9 July 2011, at Kuala Lumpur, BERSIH 2.0 together with thousands of Your Majesty’s subjects have united in a peaceful assembly in order to realise electoral reform, uphold democratic principles and claim the right for clean, free and fair elections for Malaysia.

Your Majesty’s subjects have experienced numerous obstacles and difficulties only because we wish to make elections in Malaysia the best in the world.

There are many amongst us who have been detained or made subject to legal action. Your Majesty’s subjects gathered on this day, humbly beseech Your Majesty that all those who have been detained because of their support for BERSIH 2.0 should be released and all legal action against them withdrawn.

BERSIH 2.0 together with thousands of Your Majesty’s subjects humbly beseech Your Majesty that the six leaders of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), including Member of Parliament Dr. Michael Jayakumar Devaraj, who has been detained under the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969, be released immediately or charged in court.

Ampun Tuanku Beribu-ribu Ampun,

Sekian sahaja kami patik-patik sembah maklum, diiringi dengan salam takzim jua adanya. Amin Ya-Rabbal-Alamin dan Jazakallahu Khairan Kathira.

Mohon di ampun,

Wassalamu`alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Jawatankuasa Pepandu Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil (BERSIH 2.0), mewakili Rakyat Tuanku yang mengusul,

1. Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan (Pengerusi)
2. Andrew Khoo
3. Arul Prakkash
4. Arumugam K.
5. Dr Farouk Musa
6. Haris Ibrahim
7. Liau Kok Fah
8. Maria Chin Abdullah
9. Richard Y W Yeoh
10. Dr Subramaniam Pillay
11. Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon
12. Dr Wong Chin Huat
13. Dato’ Yeo Yang Poh
14. Zaid Kamaruddin

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Queen 'Bersih' meets Najib

Britain's Queen Elizabeth greeted Prime Minister Najib Razak during an audience at Buckingham Palace in central London on Thurdsay. What could not be missed was the bright yellow dress worn by the British monarch, known for her subtlety and wit.

But amused or not, Najib and wife Rosmah Mansor bowed low before Her Majesty despite the clear absence of a red-carpet welcome.

In the scandal sheets again over a gargantuan diamond ring said to be worth RM24.4mil (or about US$8mil), Rosmah made sure to keep her hands tightly clasped during the photo-shoot. But even so, she could not resist wearing a string of pearls the size of marbles.

However, it was not Rosmah's jewellery or lavish spending that set tongues wagging. It was the yellow of Queen E's dress that drew attention.

Even the flowers in the vase were yellow, and it is believed the Queen chose the colour to send a strong signal to Najib, who had ordered a harsh crackdown on a peaceful citizens march last Saturday.

The July 9 Bersih Walk for Democracy saw police shooting tear gas and chemicalized water directly into the crowds that thronged the streets of Kuala Lumpur, leaving thousands injured and one dead.

Calls to resign

Calls are mounting for Najib to step down but he has ignored these, galling his countrymen further with comments that underscore a growing arrogance and desperation to cling to power at all costs.

“It was quite mild because although they were taken in, they were released after eight hours and they were treated really well. There was no undue use of force and the demonstrators were dispersed using minimum force,” Najib told CNN.

The United Nations and Washington have earlier in the week issued separate statements rebuking the Malaysian crackdown.

"We are very concerned by the recent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators by the government in Malaysia,"Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights told AFP.

"We are alarmed at the targeting of individuals for championing the rights of Malaysian citizens to express their opinions and to peacefully assemble."

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Violence: SUHAKAM statement denies Tiong Lai

SUHAKAM: Human rights clearly not a priority for UN Human Rights Council Member Malaysia


KUALA LUMPUR, July 13: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has denied outright baseless statement, Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, who denies violent acts in the police dispersed a peaceful rally on July 9 BERSIH 2.0.
Instead, the Suhakam itself also see the police use of excessive force against the participants, with 35 people when Suhakam officials were monitoring the rally.
Suhakam commissioner, Sha'ani Abdullah stressed, but he himself is also down to the gathering of monitoring also clearly see the police violence against the participants, including the location denied by Tiong Lai.
He said the statement from the Minister of Health who said police did not shoot tear gas and water cannon to Tung Shin Hospital, Jalan Pudu when disperse the rally was not true.
"In fact, the police are firing tear gas and water cannon to Tung Shin Hospital. I myself have seen the police action.
"I have also seen violent acts committed during the police arrest the participants. How do the police to address the participants of the rally is an irresponsible act, a violation, an abuse of power and it is contrary to human rights," he said.
He was speaking at a dialogue session after the submission of a memorandum by the PAS Youth Malaysia on the actions of the police use of excessive force against participants in peaceful assemblies BERSIH 2.0 Suhakam office here yesterday.
He said the police action to catch the players and put them in the police station Jinjang and Police Training Centre Kuala Lumpur (Pulapol) also, is a violation of the law.
"They (police) had planned to hold them, but they just arrest alone is not to be evidence.
"We can not accept such actions alleged in the developed countries, the police had persecuted them by force, the participants were arrested, handcuffed and then ordered up the truck with his hands behind," he said.
In this regard, he urged all victims to come forward and lodge complaints directly to the Suhakam can strengthen the evidence obtained.
On July 11, Minister of Health as reported in the media, said the police did not shoot tear gas and water cannon to disperse the Tung Shin Hospital at BERSIH 2.0 assembly on 9 July.
Claims that police fired to the hospital was not true and the matter has been confirmed by the hospital.
He said police fired tear gas toward the street and smoke may be carried by the wind towards the hospital.
"But they did not look towards the hospital," she told reporters after chairing a meeting with Tung Shin Hospital board of directors on that day (July 11), adding that police also fired water cannons take aim at the direction of 45 degrees from the main road.
Asked about the video and pictures uploaded by web users on the Internet, the minister asked the reporters not to show the material to ask him again.
"What is most important, the individual responsible to the hospital has confirmed that police were firing tear gas or water cannons into the (compound) hospital," said MCA deputy president again.
In the same press conference, the chairman of the board of directors of Tung Shin, Ng Beh Tong minister also shared his views.
He said the hospital administration had briefed the board of the hospital that morning (July 11) regarding the incident which happened on the day of the event.
During the rally, more than 1,600 participants, including the leadership of Combined Free and Fair Elections (BERSIH) and PR hold. All those arrested be released on police bail and the Attorney General will determine the action on them.
Besides Liow, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, as reported in the media, also denied the security forces acted violently during the rally.
 Comment on the matter further, Muhammad explained that the actual reality of the police action was excessive force can not be denied by any party.
In fact, he described the action taken by the police on participants of the gathering was like "people with no education."
"Parties are not educated, they wore uniforms, wear badges, but they have no right to recourse to violence against anyone.
"We want the government to ensure that institutions maintain the behavior of police officers to respect those they work with," he said.

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Doctors criticized the police firing gas to the hospital

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13: A group of famous doctors today issued a statement condemning the way the authorities conducted a peaceful BERSIH rally, especially the police who fired tear gas into the Tung Shin Hospital and Maternity Hospital in Jalan Pudu on Saturday.
 States that hospitals should be 'a safe sanctuary for all' and 'place reserved for protection "even during times of war, eleven doctors and surgeons, some of whom serve in the hospitals has bitterly condemned the police action entering the hospital to pursue the UN peace to run helter-skelter by the police attack.
 "What is more surprising, and witnessed many of the attacks without provocation in the hospital and the detention of several players who only admitted into the hospital to prevent attacks tear and water," they said in a statement emailed to Harakahdaily.
 The statement was the first reaction from the doctor after the police denied that their members are shooting tear gas in the hospital.
 This was followed by a press conference, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai, who claimed that the police is not shooting tear gas and acid water into the Tung Shin Hospital and attacked participants allegations BERSIH 2.0 which saw the matter with my own eyes to be untrue.
 A variety of video evidence, however, rejected the police and Liow denial by explaining clearly that the tear gas was fired into sememangnyat in the Tung Shin Hospital, plus a report that noted the Attorney General of the Council at a peaceful rally pengamatkannya July 9 confirming that the incident occurred.
 A statement signed by Dr Musa Nordin, Dr. Shaikh Johari Bux, Ng Kwee Boon, Dr Ng Swee Choon, Dr Ronald Macoy, Dr David Quek, Dr Mary Cardozo, Dr. Farouk Musa, Dr. Mazeni Alwi, Dr Pixie Low and Dr. Steve Wong also denounced the authorities do not know shame in denying the incident with clear evidence and witnesses who came out in front.
 "It is disgusting that the authorities entrusted to manage the country and to protect the weak and needy, shamelessly denied in general, the occurrence although countless photos, video, and eyewitness testimony about what was obvious to independent observers, "they said.
 Although they state that they do not want to participate in polemics after a massive peaceful rally called by groups demanding clean election reform, the doctors where there are several people working in the hospitals involved in the incident, said they were ready to provide a sworn affidavit "if necessary, to leave the incident."
The statement also reminded the public office holders to discharge their duties with the "moral integrity, dignity, and transparency."
"Their failure to do so would cast doubt on the efficiency of people and their credibility and damaging the image of those in high office," said they.

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Media reports on the BERSIH satisfactory - Rais

13/07/2011 10:22 pm

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 - Minister of Information, Communications and Culture,Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim said he was satisfied with the news coverage by local media in relation to the illegal gathering in the capital last July 9.

However, he said he was concerned that if there is some news coverage by the media which he described cyberspace quite the opposite of what actually happened.

"The print media has given me some reasonable coverage but expressed concern that the media through cyberspace.

"We can not monitor everything and this is what we need to see how to rebuild what was happening," he told reporters after chairing a post-Cabinet meeting at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

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BERSIH 2.0: Many regretted the police action

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12: The success of assembly on July 9 BERSIH 2.0 and has recorded a new history for all Malaysians who love peace and want a justice system of elections.

Despite the restrictions and obstacles facing the police since the date of the rally was announced, the presence of tens of thousands of people, especially young people of different races to prove people really want change.

Here the public opinion could be interviewed in BERSIH assembly on Saturday.
Mazni Osman- Klang

"I was so frustrated with the excessive police action. Before the assembly was heldthree days we see a lot of blocked roads. Most of the checks made ​​by the policevehicle. I think our country has reached 52 years of independence seems to back to the Japanese.

"Police have arrested innocent people as only buy and wear yellow, but the organizershave also been trying to ask for permit approval is not given. Discussion has been heldrepeatedly, but not getting good cooperation. Their attitude is what makes people, especially youths who are more mature think know whether to support the BN, or want to support the People's Alliance (PR) in the upcoming election. "

Mohd Ismi Mat Taib- Perak

"In my opinion, people who oppose this collection should be understood why we were in Kuala Lumpur. This is all for the future of our children and grandchildren.We are sick of democracy system and tire of all parties to restore. People should think for the long term not for short time.

"We feel very upset and disappointed with the actions of police bias. Why BERSIH assembly is held so securely has provoked by the media and the police?. Why only BERSIH supporter assembly given the great pressure? People were arrested,treated unfairly kicked once, but why the Patriot assembly carried by the Umno Youth is not like we are liable to arrest.

"Why do innocent people to assemble and not wearing BERSIH just to keep the bag caught? Police really are not sincere on the job. Will they be government corruption toperform the duties in such a way?".

Umi Syazariah Meor Hashim- Johor

"I think the actions taken by the government to direct the police to arrest all the participants  BERSIH 2.0 is a big mistake. BN government is using their extreme power to the people not given the opportunity to assemble peacefully.

"As leaders they should accept the views of the people, not reject it outright. But the phenomenon of today's PM has demonstrated his munafiknya for failing to honor promises to provide a stadium for the people. What is wrong with their approval in BERSIH assembly is clearly stipulated that only demands elections upright and just is not overthrow the existing government.

"This shows that Umno and the police to give full cooperation to the BN can be considered as threatened of the people, especially when you see young people who present at today's public rally to demand genuine elections."

Roginy Ponnampalam- membuka perniagaannya di KTM Kuala Lumpur pada hari himpunan Bersih.

"Every day I open a shop here the same time at about 6 am, but so difficult to get huge profits. Today until 8 am, I have achieved a profit of about RM 600. If you want to compare a normal day is not that easy to make money in the RM100 until 8 am. I am sure   any traders, whether mini market and restaurant also have huge profits. As at the shop next, people are always out for breakfast. 

"Various nations and the people who attended this morning made ​​me did not win handsfor them to treat customers shopping here. Sales of water, bread, prepaid card,so selling newspapers at all. I do not see the people present here to create chaos, but I was surprised police take care of so many of this area. "

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