Malaysia’s Bersih 5 rally: protesters weigh the cost of action under a repressive regime

Participants in the 2015 rally organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections in Malaysia. Olivia Harris/Reuters In Malaysia, democracy is a contested term in a political system marked by authoritarianism and rigged elections. But this hasn’t stop civil society from continuing to voice their demands. A wave of mass protests organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) is calling attention to electoral politics both within Malaysia and internationally. An electoral reform movement that started out in 2005, initially known as the Joint Action Committee for Electoral Reform (JACER), Bersih is the most sustained protest movement in the nation’s history. Tensions are now building as the fifth rally organised by group is expected to take place on November 19. This time around, there’s a significant counter-movement, known as Red Shirts, added into the mix. It’s led by Jamal Yunos, a politician who is the division chief of the Sungai Besar United Malays National Organization (UMNO). UMNO is the largest political party in the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, governing alongside the Malaysian Chinese Association and Malaysian Indian Congress. Jamal has been quoted in news media as saying that his actions don’t represent the UMNO, and some party members have resisted being associated with him. The Bersih movement and Red Shirts are both considered “illegal“ by the government, as announced by the Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Jamal has been quoted in a local English-language newspaper, The Star, as saying: I want to warn Bersih. Prepare yourself if you want to go against the decision of police and authorities. We too will go to the ground illegally just to oppose them… We are physically and mentally ready, and we are ready to face the consequences of our actions. In the meantime, the issue of foreign funding for Bersih and some other NGOs, including the local alternative online news portal Malaysiakini, is again being raised by the government. Police stand guard behind barricades in central Kuala Lumpur during the 2011 Bersih rally. Samsul Said/Reuters Among the accusations levelled at the movement is the charge that groups are receiving foreign funds to try to topple the government. This accusation is not new. In 2011, police investigations attempted to link Bersih with foreigners promoting pro-communist ideology, as reported by Utusan Malaysia. In 2012, the mainstream English-language newspaper, News Straits Times, featured a special report alleging that NGOs including Bersih were trying to destabilise the government. The newspaper later apologised following the settlement of a defamation suit brought by the group. In the apology, the paper admitted it had no proof to substantiate the claims. Bersih has so far organised four rallies – in 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2015 – and each resulted in a different outcome. During the first rally on November 10 2007, organisers were subjected to various forms of police intimidation. They faced roadblocks and water canons. And the legality of the movement was questioned by the Home Affairs Ministry, as it was not registered with the […]

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