Why I march

There are many differing opinions about the legality of the upcoming Bersih 2.0 march on July 9. Bersih 2.0 is the upgraded version of the first Bersih, which mobilized 40,000 Malaysians to walk for democracy and especially for clean and fair elections.

After that march in 2007, more marches took place, with Hindraf\’s rally coming in as the biggest one to date. The Bar Council (led by Ambiga) made history with almost 1,000 demonstrators in Putrajaya for the first time ever. Since then, even the Orang Asli or Orang Asal have marched for their rights against marginalization, leading a cry for equitable development and progress.

Even so, some Malaysians still ask: why another march? Well any march for democracy is a long, difficult journey; a road often less travelled. The short answer as to why Bersih is marching again is that the EC has not adequately addressed the serious concerns of the original Bersih.

However, naïve Malaysians still argue that if PKR won 5 states, then the GE must have been free and fair. Even a Star Editorial argued the same line of illogic. But those who accept the state of elections in this country cannot see the trees for the woods.

‘Free elections\’ means, being free of corruption, of bribery, of illegal tactics (like citizens of Malaysia barred entry to another state of the Federation), etc. Fair elections means that every player comes under the same set of rules. The referee judges all sides equally.

Keeping an eye on the EC

The Bersih 2.0 march is about the EC and their close-one-eye culture in most things related to elections. Gerrymandering is clearly prevalent in the weightage given to different constituencies; how can Putrajaya and the biggest constituency in Sarawak have one MP each? A recent study found that, in some constituencies, up to 30% of voters are not real people; i.e. those who exist in GPS-defined earthly locations. Are they ghosts?

Therefore, Bersih 2.0 is a cleaned-up version of the demands for change voiced by the first incarnation of this movement. I was not part of Bersih 1.0, but am now part of the second iteration.

Why? Because the B.20 does not have political party members in their Exco. It is primarily made up of supporting NGOs (at last count about 60 of them) since the original movers and shakers have pulled out by design to allow for a non-partisan, all-inclusive movement for peoples\’ issues and concerns.

Malaysia needs a mature civil society movement like this one. The older model of Malaysia Incorporated under the TDM tutelage only defined private and public sectors for a win-win formula. It worked then because the private and public sectors did not trust one another.

Today, unfortunately, they make strange but good bedfellows. (Ask that Toyo fellow.) That is why we need civil society movements to pressure institutions like the EC to keep a close eye on any form of cheating.

Malaysia\’s future is at stake and that is the main reason I march. My grandchildren (although I have none yet) would need a cleaner and safer civil society-driven Malaysia. I also march for truth, justice and righteousness.

Today\’s endemic of bribery and corruption must be stopped. How else can the police treat \”the fat, short and stout man with velvet gloves,\” when they have not even talked to or responded to the Bersih 2.0\’s request? They have declared the walk as illegal without even a consideration.

To me, therefore, it is also a march toward a more mature democracy in Malaysia. To paraphrase Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, we need to move beyond first world infrastructure toward a more mature civil society and culture; a culture of reason, of tolerance, and of acceptance of one another that celebrates other cultures and joys of life.

We need to then make Parliament an epicenter for law-making and not just name-calling. We need to get rid of the ignorance in Parliament and introduce knowledgeable individuals who can debate and argue with reason and logic rather than shouting and fist-banging. We need to get rid of both bureaucrats, who hide behind rules and regulations to justify their incapability, and idiocrats, who use the law to say and do what they want.

We are a nation ruled by law and not the rule of law. Even if the Home Affairs Minister refuses to admit it, it is obvious that the laws are used to abuse other people. How else could a senior police officer tipped to be the potential Deputy IGP be charged falsely in court and then fully acquitted? Is that rule by law, Minister?

My prayer and hope is that the police officer will sue the government for unfairly ending his public service career and destroying his reputation, only because he did not \”kowtow\” to an abusive system. Maybe, like with Tun Salleh Abas and the other Judges, the government must pay a voluntary compensation before he sues.

Representing \’ABC Malaysians\’

I will therefore choose to march as an ABC Malaysian; one who is tired of an incompetent bureaucracy and an equally ineffective government. The term stands for Malaysians A gainst B ribery and C orruption.

Therefore I call on my family and all friends who care for this potentially great country of ours to march. Then we can become even greater and look forward to the day when every Malaysian, regardless of skin color or abilities, can walk tall with full dignity because we are indeed proud to be Malaysian.

Mahatma Gandhi said we must become the change we ask for. So if we want good governance, B.20 is an important march toward a new Malaysia.

Many are fearful about marching and others are naïve about how to manage change. But overcoming that fear and marching for your own God-ordained dignity will help create change in Malaysia. Just imagine if a million of us marched as they did in Tahrir Square, and yet if we are determined to be peaceful, then we can even call it \’a civil disobedience movement.\’

Fear is always the opposite of your God-ordained dignity. But, if you do not believe, then please do not march because you might create trouble when faced with dangers. Please march only if you believe in what Bersih stands for.

It is your God-given right to walk the streets of Kuala Lumpur, or Petaling Jaya for that matter. It is simply for freedom and democracy and the desire to see a more mature Malaysian democracy. After half a century of waiting, we truly deserve it.

May God bless Malaysia!