By Anil Netto
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition finds itself on the political defensive after police personnel cracked down on a largely peaceful April 28 protest held in the national capital calling for electoral reforms. The large popular turnout and government's perceived mishandling of the rally will likely push back general elections, earlier expected to be called by June, as Prime Minister Najib Razak's government deals with the fallout.
Reports and images of demonstrators being assaulted by police have been circulated, raising the hackles of international rights groups about the excessive use of force. The country's Bar Council has condemned the violence against unarmed demonstrators while media freedom groups have expressed their concerns about the targeting of journalists who attempted to document scenes of police brutality.
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition finds itself on the political defensive after police personnel cracked down on a largely peaceful April 28 protest held in the national capital calling for electoral reforms. The large popular turnout and government's perceived mishandling of the rally will likely push back general elections, earlier expected to be called by June, as Prime Minister Najib Razak's government deals with the fallout.
Reports and images of demonstrators being assaulted by police have been circulated, raising the hackles of international rights groups about the excessive use of force. The country's Bar Council has condemned the violence against unarmed demonstrators while media freedom groups have expressed their concerns about the targeting of journalists who attempted to document scenes of police brutality.
After the crackdown, political analysts say, Najib's political programs now face a credibility gap. "Many urbanites are simply not buying what he is selling," said one political observer. "It's gone beyond [the call for] clean elections."
The crackdown could raise more searching popular questions about the credibility, professionalism and independence of the institutions of governance and Najib's commitment to genuine reform.
The crackdown could raise more searching popular questions about the credibility, professionalism and independence of the institutions of governance and Najib's commitment to genuine reform.
Subramaniam Pillay, a Bersih steering committee member and social activist, said the rally's disorder should be put in broad perspective. He said the biggest positive from Bersih 3.0 is that while government agencies with large budgets have failed to create "1Malaysia" - as Najib's drive to promote ethnic harmony and national unity is called - "Bersih has succeeded in uniting Malaysians of all ethnic and religious backgrounds".
Strikingly, many among those who attended the rally displayed a distinct lack of fear. In the cat-and-mouse game between police and protestors that lingered on after the organizers had called for participants to disperse, one activist observed how groups at one location laughed mockingly and even danced after water cannons had been fired.
"The freedom from fear argument is compelling," said Malik Imtiaz, a human-rights lawyer. "The police were unprepared for the resoluteness they met, hence the brutality."
The worry for Najib and his ruling UMNO is that if the same popular resolve witnessed at the rally translates into a greater push for political change, the ruling coalition's prospects at the next polls, whenever they are held, could be further dimmed.
"The freedom from fear argument is compelling," said Malik Imtiaz, a human-rights lawyer. "The police were unprepared for the resoluteness they met, hence the brutality."
The worry for Najib and his ruling UMNO is that if the same popular resolve witnessed at the rally translates into a greater push for political change, the ruling coalition's prospects at the next polls, whenever they are held, could be further dimmed.
Source: Asia Times Online
Jarumemas: The oppositions was the big culprit for this demonstration. The public were against this notorious behaviour. The oppositions were making use of the 'innocent' people by giving them money to demonstrate.
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