Bersih arrests count up: 108 now!

Dr Lee Boon Chai and 3 others are the latest arrests. Never has the police been so efficient to swoop down on their targets-are they trained to go aftter Opposition members only?

URGENT APPEAL: 30 June 2011

FOUR MORE BERSIH RELATED ARRESTS : RELEASE THE FOUR!

Four more individuals have been arrested earlier this morning in relation to an on-going crackdown on the civil society initiated Bersih 2.0 rally, slated for 9 July. Bersih 2.0, a coalition of civil society organisations have called for electoral reforms in the run up to the 13^th General Election, widely expected to be called sometime this year. With these four arrests, a total for 108 arrests have been made in relation to an on-going crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly.

The four are:

1.     YB Dr Lee Boon Chye (Member of Parliament for Gopeng)

2.     YB Chan Ming Kai (Simpang Pulai ADUN)

3.      Loke Sai Kau

4.     Johnny Tan Kar Chock

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Dangerous thought patterns that hold back democracy in Malaysia

There are a few kinds of mental pattern that impede the growth of democracy in Malaysia-they should be identified and countered effectively. These patterns of thoughts exclude democracy in their logics and if they are allowed to be the guiding thought of the ruling parties-then the chances of democracy taking roots and growing up would be slim!

Firstly it is the ethnic supremacy idea. The ketuanan Melayu idea of UMNO want to see Malays as the leaders of the country-in all fields if possible. The party want to see a hierarchy of ethnic groups with the Malays sitting at the top. Some UMNO types would say that they would die to defend this idea, basing their claim to supremacy on the native status of Malays. However the problems with this idea is: The complaint people have on the idea is more to do with the people who insist to be the leaders based on the supremacy claim are not delivering good non-corrupt and fair to all governance. In another words people may not mind which ethnic group provide the good leadership-so long that the leadership is good and fair to all. When challenged on this ground people with this mental pattern is driven to become violent in the name of defending their community, or they can justify unfair advantages to their group/party including in elections. Something like the ends justifying the means.

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In banning Bersih T-shirt is the Home Minister taking his words as laws?

Some legal experts don’t think there is any legal basis for the Home Minister to pronounce the Bersih t-shirt illegal, any more than the police can regard and act on Bersih rally as an illegal activity. Lawyers are urging those arrested on account of wearing the Bersih t-shirt to sue the government!

Experts: Bersih T-shirts NOT illegal

Stephanie Sta Maria | June 29, 2011(Free Malaysia Today)

The home minister comes in for a lot of flak for pronouncing that the wearing of Bersih T-shirts is against the law.

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Tomorrow(30/6/11) will be the day when a state police ban a government’s functions!

Can you imagine the security force ban its master’s function? This is happening in Penang tomorrow when the state police chief obtain a court order to stop anyone from attending a state government’s function -one on the island and another on the mainland. The tail wagging a dog? In most federal states the police are a local management issue-but in Malaysia the police take order only from the Federal government. Thus it is possible for the Federal government to use the state police against a state government function! But in this sense how can the police be seen as serving the public’s interests?

Penang police warn against attending ‘illegal’ state ceramah

By Debra Chong

June 29, 2011

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Malaysian Bar condemn Government’s crackdown on Bersih

Democratic rights should be promoted, not stifled

Lim Chee Wee
Jun 29, 11
6:42pm

The Malaysian Bar regrets the Malaysian Government’s wanton, unjustified and wholly disproportionate crackdown on freedom of
movement, expression and assembly this past week.

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Bersih updates: intimidations and crack downs widen to the… world!

* Australian Malaysian Students Department warned students not to take part in the sister rallies in Australia-which are expected to hit Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and other cities. Most organisers are not deterred;

* Penang’s police had applied for court order to stop 2 Penang’s state government’s briefings which will be held tomorrow -one on the island and another in the mainland. The police chief claimed that the state government will use the opportunity to invite people to attend the `illegal’ Bersih rally on July 9th in KL.

* Menawhile the Bersih sister rallies had widen to numerous cities in US, Europe, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. If they have the jurisdiction surely the Malaysian government would ban all of them!

* meanwhile Bersih T-shirt has landed in Sarawak!

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Bersih T-shirt illegal-so this one legal? Ban extend to all pro-Bersih `shoes, cars, buses’

Some t-shirt designer thight they had hit upon a brilliant marketting idea! 101 people have been arrested up to now, according to the IGP. No sign of abetting yet.

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Support Bersih Secretariat-here is how

http://www.facebook.com/suararakyatmalaysia

SUARA RAKYAT MALAYSIA
Address:  433A, Jalan 5/46, Gasing Indah, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Telephone: +6 03 7784 3525                                Fax: +6 03 7784 3526
Email: suaram@suaram.net<mailto:suaram@suaram.net>                                Web: www.suaram.net<http://www.suaram.net/>

URGENT APPEAL: 29 JUNE 2011
BERSIH 2.0 Secretariat (EMPOWER Office) have been raided, materials confiscated and 6 staffs and a volunteer arrested
All this was done without a warrant by the police !!

6 staffs and 1 volunteer have been arrested and brought to IPD Petaling Jaya. The police went to Bersih 2.0 office without a warrant and threaten to break in if they are not allowed entry. They then confiscated all of Bersih 2.0 materials. They denied entry of the other NGOs and BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee members into their office.

The police was taking statements from the staffs and later changed their mind and took them to IPD Petaling Jaya.

Those arrested are:

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Crackdown on Bersih organisers attracted swift international condemnations!

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Southeast Asia Press Alliance (SEAPA) strongly condemn the recent and on-going threats and intimidation by the Malaysian government against the electoral reform campaigners. The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) comprises of Malaysian civic and human rights organisations campaigning for electoral reforms and independent monitoring of elections in the country. Bersih 2.0 plans to hold a mass rally on 9 July 2011 to demand for, among others, fair access of all political parties to media, reform of postal ballots and a revision of the electoral roll to address irregularities for the upcoming 13th General Elections to be held in mid-2012.

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Bersih banner at KLSCAH since yesterday

In solidarity! Let's not be distracted by accusation of christianity, communism, plot to topple government etc. The issue: free and fair elections!

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