Bersih Swept by like a New broom...

"Bersih 2.0 is proud that in spite of all the obstacles and hindrances that we were forced to face, Malaysians of all walks of life overcame the oppressive acts of the police to come out peacefully and in incredibly large numbers to show their love for their country and for the principles of justice,” said its statement."

"National laureate A Samad Said, who has become another symbol of the movement for electoral reform, led a press conference after Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreevenasan was arrested, saying he had never seen Malaysians being so united in championing a common cause."I have never seen all the races in Malaysia so united in one cause before. The authority looks really harsh and unprofessional. I see some women being pushed and fell,” said the soft spoken literary activist."

"Our reason for gathering is pure and simple – to demand the electoral roll be cleaned, that the postal voting system be reformed, that indelible ink be used, a minimum 21 day campaign period be instated, free and fair access to media for all be provided, public institutions be strengthened, and for corruption as well as dirty politics to be stopped."

"This is Malaysia’s single most important defining moment in recent history, and we are fully confident that the rakyat will heed the call to safeguard the principles Malaysia was founded on and together ensure that we pass down to our children a nation that is just, democratic and united in love for one another."

Everyone and anyone that had any interest in the whole 'Bersih' phenomena has had their say in defence or in attacking the movement or simply as most Malaysians are apt to do, just ambivalent about the whole affair as yet another 'Malaysia Boleh'. For me personally it was one moment in time and history of this country when Malaysians of all walks of life, colors and races stood for what they believed in and faced the inevitable, the very law and enforcement agency that was employed to protect them. They the police too were just doing their thing however, over zealous at times but still without law and order only chaos rules. It is all a relative matter depending upon what one has to gain or loose as one taxi driver in KL interviewed on TV claimed his day's losses while little did he realized the gains being made in the long run for his country's integrity, his and his family's bill or rights being set aright and the fact that his manhood as a Malaysian is being redeemed by those who dared to participate along the streets.
Against all odds the people marched towards the Merdeka Stadium which was promised as a venue for the meeting by the ruling party and which later was withdrawn for security reasons, the flip floppping of the Primeminister's indecisiveness only weaken the support for him as a leader; it was also set as a mockery to the King who had offered to defuse the situtation by offering an option towards both parties involved. The Media itself was put to the task to report without fear or favour but sucummed to favour and fear by highlighting only the worse case scenarios which favours the government while the opposition controlled favours their side of the story. The is no truth and the whole truth only that which the individual who can take the trouble to piece it all together like a jig saw puzzle can see it all in the bigger picture.
At the end of the day this Nation is still in the grips of those who suffer from the three illnesses, Greed, Hate and Ignorance.
The greedy cannot loose a day's worth of business even on a weekend for a National cause nor can they give up their control over the purse strings they hold which events like these tends to expose. The threat of arrest and manhandling of those who are arrested reveals the hatred one group has for the other disguised in whatever form and in this case in the form of 'National Security'. Ignorance? How many in this country really understood the real motives and reasons of the Bersih march? How many really cared to? With all the sophistication in mass media coverage and in rapid form of educating the public available today we failed as a Nation to make it happen in a proffesional and peaceful manner, Why??
Instead of focussing on the immediate subject of 'Fair Electoral', what it is what is means to all why the issue if being raised we were forced to deal with mudslingging and backbiting, fears and paranoias by political parties who are guilty of hijacking the event to suit their interests. They betrayed the people the whole lot of them and they betrayed the King in the process. if there is any accountability for this whole mess is to be addressed to, it is these so called political leaders whoever and on whichever side they belong. They should be made to explain what Bersih was all about and how it jeopardized their positions or enhances it, or threaten the Natinal Security. The people who voted them deserves the explaination and so does the law in this country. Enlighten us, please! Enlighten the folks in the villages and the small towns what 'Free and Fair Electoral System is all about; the uneducated and the fencesitters needs to know the Truth, just the simple Truth - not politics...there is no Fairness in Politics!