Kit Siang spells out case for July 9 rally

If certain quarters claim not to know why the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 needs to be held, the reasons have been provided by the BN leaders themselves within and outside Parlaiament, said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang today.

The first reason is contained in the Prime Minister's Department's written reply yesterday to DAP's Seputeh M Teresa Kok, in which it was revealed RM1.18 billion worth of programmes and projects had been announced for Sarawak during the state's recently concluded polls, said Lim.

Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday said a total of 62 programmes and projects had been announced for implementation during the election up to last April 30, 52 of which would be implemented this year while the rest would be carried out the following year.

Lim also pointed out that during the election, it was not just Sarawak BN but the entire federal government that had campaign, during which a cabinet meeting had been cancelled.

The move to 'dragoon all federal ministers' to the eastern state for the polls made “a complete mockery of the principle of free and fair elections!” he said.

“Another irrefutable proof of the gross abuses of power which marred the recent Sarawak state polls,” added the veteran opposition politician in a statement.

The third 'reason' the Bersih rally needs to be held is BN's spending of over RM500 million in the Sarawak election, which Lim (right) said breaks election laws limiting election expenditures for state assembly candidates to RM100,000 per candidate.

“In fact, these three facts are among the mountain of potent reasons why the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections needs to be held if Malaysia is to join the rank of developed democracies where elections result in credible and legitimate governments, unlike many failed African states where elections are used to give the fig-leaf of legality to illegitimate governments.

Questioning why any individual or organisation speaking in the name of genuine democracy would seek to oppose or “sabotage” a peaceful rally for free and fair elections, Lim said BN leaders' statements reflect the gap between BN leaders and the people and their irrelevance to aspirations for Malaysia to take “her rightful place as an united, progressive, prosperous and competitive nation.”

Lashing out at MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek's condemnation of the Bersih 2.0 movement, Lim said the latter had always been conceived as a campaign transcending political parties and political interests with goal only of ensuring free, fair and clean elections in Malaysia.

“Yesterday, I invited the Prime Minister Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, cabinet ministers and leaders of all Barisan Nasional component parties to come forward to join in the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 to support the civil society initiative for free and fair elections.

“Has Chua the idealism, independence and integrity to support this call without having to wait for approval from the Umno leadership?” he asked.