Bersih protesters not hooligans, says activist

A supporter of the 'Walk for Democracy' planned for July 9 has hit out at Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for proposing to confine the holding of demonstrations to stadiums, in the interest of public security and well being.

Popular PAS leader Mohamad Sabu (left) said it is the government itself that chooses to demonise peaceful protesters, tossing aside Hishammuddin's claim that rally organisers have no respect for law and order.

“This is the mindset of the government, where it equates rallies with pandemonium,” he said when contacted today.

Hishammuddin was quoted in several non-English dailies today as saying that he will propose to the cabinet to work out a mechanism to allow demonstrations to be held in stadiums without the need for police permits.

An Utusan Malaysia report quoted him as saying that street demonstrations are lapuk (passé) and are merely a venue to curse and throw allegations with no benefit to the public.

Hishammuddin (right) went on to accuse organisers of the Walk for Democracy of merely aiming to create chaos and to paint a picture that Malaysia is not stable.

However, Mohamad Sabu said the many rallies that opposition parties and NGOs have organised over the years have always been peaceful.

He said it is the government that is being “uncivilised” for portraying protesters in negative light.

“We have had so many peaceful rallies that did not cause any problems. All you need is to negotiate to have a rally for two or three hours, and it's done. Calling it 'violent' is backwards thinking... why are Umno and the government still thinking along these lines?” he said.

“Look at our previous Bersih rally... if the police did not shoot tear gas, it would have ended peacefully.”

At the rally organised by Bersih in November 2007, an estimated 40,000 people filled the streets of Kuala Lumpur as police launched a heavy-handed assault to force them to disperse. 

At least two Members of Parliament and 15 others were arrested and charged, but were freed last year when the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court found that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against them.

'Minister talking nonsense'

Mohamad Sabu stressed that any overt move by the government to control public demonstrations would only be met with further resistance by the people.

Taking the example of the numerous public uprisings in the Middle East in recent months, he said it is far more important for the government to think of ways to boost public confidence in the country's practise of democracy.

“Look at the Middle East, where you (would) see a 90 percent victory during elections. But in the end, what happened? Look at all those countries - Egypt, Syria, Libya... we don't want that. When people are not confident in a democracy, that's when major uprisings start.”

Suaram likewise views Hishammuddin's proposal as a direct move to curb the people's rights to express their views openly.

Coordinator Yap Heng Long said it would be reasonable to require a police permit to be held, as a means to make sure any public rally remains safe and does not become a nuisance.

Yap pointed out that it had been proven by more than one national commission on public rallies where there was unrest that altercations during the events had been provoked by heavy-handed action by the police.

Yap stressed that the government must respect the constitutional rights of the people to the freedoms of assembly and expression.

“He (Hishammuddin) is talking nonsense. They (the public) have the freedom to choose to have a demonstration, if it is not violent. The important point is that it should be peaceful,” said Yap.

Bersih 2.0 president S Ambiga declined comment when contacted, saying a statement would be issued on Thursday after it is discussed by the committee.