Bersih, the opposition's election machinery

KUALA LUMPUR: An analyst said the Bersih 3.0 rally has nothing to do with pursuing electoral reforms anymore but rather an instrument to give the opposition the momentum for the upcoming 13th General Election.

International Islamic University alumni committee member Khairuddin Zain said it is public knowledge there are discrepancies and flaws in the electoral process but instead of working together with the Election Commission, Bersih preferred taking it to the street.

“The problem is, they have created a perception that the EC is irrelevant and refuses to work with them. They should provide the information and work with the EC for a better election process,” he said when contacted by The Mole recently.

Khairuddin also questioned whether MPs from the opposition have failed in highlighting the issue until it was brought to the street via Bersih 1.0 and 2.0, or they had deliberately endorsed the efforts to reap political dividends.

The same point was first raised by blogger SicVallency when he pointed out that the eagerness of the coalition to hold Bersih 3.0 is a strong proof that opposition MPs had failed on highlighting the issue in Parliament.

The blogger said, questions have been raised over Bersih’s motives and why is it necessary to take their demands to the street and fully-endorsed by MP’s from PKR, DAP and PAS.

“Why do you need to mobilise people to the street to ask for changes in the Election Commission when they have representatives (MPs) that can debate on the people's behalf and this they di not do.

“MPs are elected and paid to do such things. And that includes the ones who support the Bersih rally,” the blogger said.

The blogger pointed by not going through debate in Parliaments, the Parliamentary system is no longer fully-relevant and only act as a "bill stamper" as people can just bring any proposal to the street.

The blogger said demonstrations, street rallies and pickets all lead to the Parliament being non-functional and would render the MPs useless.

“Bersih wants to strengthen the system, yet they don't uphold the system. They themselves don't really follow and respect the system. See the irony?” he said.

The blogger also pointed out that Bersih is not a non-partisan NGO (non-governmental organisation) as they claim to be.

He said: “When Bersih rally and organisation get endorsed from political parties that already have some of its members in the Parliament, then all these rallies become... nonsense. They are definitely no longer a non-partisan NGO”.

Blogger Stop The Lies pointed out while the three Pakatan Rakyat parties – PKR, DAP and PAS – talks about election reforms – they themselves have never practised what they preached.

He pointed out that PKR and opposition de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, and DAP's advisor Lim Kit Siang were all appointed, not democratically voted.

"So all these three big Pakatan leaders – Anwar, Kit Siang and Nik Aziz – have something in common, they don’t even respect democracy in their own parties but they lecture us on such principles.," he said.

In earlier interviews, former PKR members and current independent MPs for Padang Serai (N. Gobalakrishan), Wangsa Maju (Wee Choo Keong) and Bayan Lepas (Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohammed Hashim) questioned the party’s motive on supporting Bersih.

Gobala found it ironic for the opposition especially PKR to criticise the Election Commission and the electoral process when the party’s 2010 election was fraught with cheating and fraudulent practices.

Wee is puzzled with PKR as they had no problem contesting under the very same system in the 12th General Election in 2008.

Zahrain on the other hand pointed out any opposition leaders questioning the electoral process now should be principled enough and demand a recount on the votes they got in the last general election to ensure that it was legitimate.

Bersih 3.0 is scheduled to take place at Dataran Merdeka on April 28th.

Source: MOLE