Bersih 4 takes off worldwide in solidarity with rallies in Malaysia
BY EILEEN NG
Malaysian Insider
Published: 29 August 2015 7:00 AM
While thousands of Malaysians in some 70 cities around the world hold rallies today in solidarity with Bersih 4, the organiser of Bersih in Queensland, Australia has a different approach: going around the two cities in a bus.
The 24-seater bus emblazoned with the words Bersih 4 on both sides of its body, will spread awareness of the rally by travelling from Brisbane to the coastal city of Gold Coast from 9am local time today, stopping at iconic locations such as Southbank, Movie World and Surfer's Paradise.
Each stop will be for about 30 minutes, allowing people to hop off and on, taking pictures, singing songs and posting them on social media.
Organiser Denzel Koh said using the bus to travel around will allow them to go to more venues and spread awareness of the rally to more people.
At the same time, it will allow participants on the bus to have fun.
"Everybody thinks it is a brilliant idea. We Queenslanders like to think outside the box. It's almost spring time here and the air is fresh and crisp. Flowers are beginning to bloom and birds are singing all day long. We don't want to miss all that," he said in an email to The Malaysian Insider.
He said the response has been overwhelming, with all 24 seats taken up.
Those who missed it can still gather at Southbank at 9am local time for a short rally before the bus leaves.
Koh, who will drive the bus, said he will be footing the petrol bill for the bus, estimated at around A$80 (RM240).
The Bersih 4 tour buses ready to travel on a convoy from Brisbane to Gold Coast in Australia, as part of activities in solidarity with the Bersih 4 rallies in Malaysia. – Bersih Brisbane/Gold Coast Facebook pic, August 29, 2015.
Koh and the other participants will be among thousands of Malaysians, from as near as Jakarta to as far as Rio de Janeiro, who will be rallying in solidarity with tens of thousands in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, as part of a global solidarity movement for reform.
Armed with banners and clad in electoral reforms coalition Bersih 2.0's signature yellow T-shirts, the Malaysian diasporas will hold gatherings in support of the 34-hour Bersih 4 rally, which kicks off today.
Although far from home, they plan to turn up at the rallies in their adopted countries to show they still have the interest of Malaysia at heart as well as suport Bersih's demands for clean elections, corrupt-free government, the right to protest, strengthening parliamentary democracy and saving the economy.
"We see major problems with the system in Malaysia and want to contribute our small part to changing that and improving the country," said one of the organisers of Hong Kong Bersih 4, who wanted to be known only as James.
Some 300 people are expected to turn up at the march in the former British colony. Participants will gather on Luard Road, beside the Southorn Playground between 2.30pm and 3pm local time, before marching towards the Malaysian consulate on Gloucester Road, where they will gather in a show of strength.
On the agenda is getting those who attend to sign their names on a banner, with participants singing a song composed by a Malaysian working in Hong Kong.
The organisers will also prepare materials on the upcoming redelineation exercise and remind people to check their voting status.
Follow-ups will also be made with the participants to ensure how the awareness is maintained.
James said the organisers have been maintaining regular contact since the Bersih 3 rally on April 2012, and they are organising the latest one to show support to the rallies in Malaysia.
"Everyone has a multiplier effect. Each of these Malaysians in Hong Kong can let others know and encourage their friends and family in Malaysia to join Bersih 4.
"Through this process, we hope more people will attend Bersih 4 in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu or Kuching, understand the five demands and understand what they need to do to save our country.
"They and everyone they come in contact with should make sure they are registered voters, continue to check their voter status; consider becoming objectors in the upcoming electoral boundary redelineation exercise; prepare to vote whether by going home to do so or as a postal voter in the next general election; they should think about how to get each and every Malaysian in Hong Kong to do the same.
"So, we feel that our organising a rally away from KL will make a difference in an indirect way," he told The Malaysian Insider in an email.
Global Bersih Jakarta organiser S.K.S. Sivananthan said the Bersih gathering in Jakarta would give Malaysians who are unable to join their families and friends back home an opportunity to voice their views.
"We do think it will make a difference by showing our support globally; we will have the whole world’s attention on our cause to show our country's poor political state, bad economic state and crime deterioration, our ruling government’s blunders and peaceful global Malaysians who march in peace for a better Malaysia," he said.
The Bersih rally in Jakarta will take place today at the Liquid Exchange at the Epicentrum Walk mall from 10.30am and 2pm local time. Some 200 participants are expected to attend the event.
The 35-year-old Sivananthan who has worked in the Indonesian capital for the past 10 years cited corruption, crime, budget deficit, the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) affair and the ringgit's free fall as among the concerns of Malaysians abroad.
"I am more worried about my children's future and I love our country so much... we want our beloved country to prosper, free from white collar crimes and high corruption, and have better economy and security," he added.
Global Bersih president Colin Rajah, meanwhile, condemned Putrajaya's alleged attempt to scuttle Bersih rallies overseas by threatening to revoke the scholarship of Malaysian students who support Bersih 4.
He claimed that organisers faced problems with the local police due to "misleading reports" from Malaysian embassies.
The Home Ministry announced yesterday that all yellow clothing as well as clothes with the words "Bersih 4", and also printed material connected to the rally, are prohibited at the rally.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi issued the order under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, which came into effect yesterday.
Earlier yesterday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) blocked Bersih 2.0's official website.
The move came after MCMC said it would block websites that promote and spread information about this weekend's Bersih 4 rally.
The Home Ministry on Tuesday had also declared Bersih 4 "illegal" and said it has caused uneasiness and worries among Malaysia's multi-racial citizens. – August 29, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/bersih-4-takes-off-worldwide-in-solidarity-with-rallies-in-malaysia#sthash.vbYiKX8h.dpuf
Published: 29 August 2015 7:00 AM
While thousands of Malaysians in some 70 cities around the world hold rallies today in solidarity with Bersih 4, the organiser of Bersih in Queensland, Australia has a different approach: going around the two cities in a bus.
The 24-seater bus emblazoned with the words Bersih 4 on both sides of its body, will spread awareness of the rally by travelling from Brisbane to the coastal city of Gold Coast from 9am local time today, stopping at iconic locations such as Southbank, Movie World and Surfer's Paradise.
Each stop will be for about 30 minutes, allowing people to hop off and on, taking pictures, singing songs and posting them on social media.
Organiser Denzel Koh said using the bus to travel around will allow them to go to more venues and spread awareness of the rally to more people.
At the same time, it will allow participants on the bus to have fun.
"Everybody thinks it is a brilliant idea. We Queenslanders like to think outside the box. It's almost spring time here and the air is fresh and crisp. Flowers are beginning to bloom and birds are singing all day long. We don't want to miss all that," he said in an email to The Malaysian Insider.
He said the response has been overwhelming, with all 24 seats taken up.
Those who missed it can still gather at Southbank at 9am local time for a short rally before the bus leaves.
Koh, who will drive the bus, said he will be footing the petrol bill for the bus, estimated at around A$80 (RM240).
The Bersih 4 tour buses ready to travel on a convoy from Brisbane to Gold Coast in Australia, as part of activities in solidarity with the Bersih 4 rallies in Malaysia. – Bersih Brisbane/Gold Coast Facebook pic, August 29, 2015.Koh and the other participants will be among thousands of Malaysians, from as near as Jakarta to as far as Rio de Janeiro, who will be rallying in solidarity with tens of thousands in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, as part of a global solidarity movement for reform.
Armed with banners and clad in electoral reforms coalition Bersih 2.0's signature yellow T-shirts, the Malaysian diasporas will hold gatherings in support of the 34-hour Bersih 4 rally, which kicks off today.
Although far from home, they plan to turn up at the rallies in their adopted countries to show they still have the interest of Malaysia at heart as well as suport Bersih's demands for clean elections, corrupt-free government, the right to protest, strengthening parliamentary democracy and saving the economy.
"We see major problems with the system in Malaysia and want to contribute our small part to changing that and improving the country," said one of the organisers of Hong Kong Bersih 4, who wanted to be known only as James.
Some 300 people are expected to turn up at the march in the former British colony. Participants will gather on Luard Road, beside the Southorn Playground between 2.30pm and 3pm local time, before marching towards the Malaysian consulate on Gloucester Road, where they will gather in a show of strength.
On the agenda is getting those who attend to sign their names on a banner, with participants singing a song composed by a Malaysian working in Hong Kong.
The organisers will also prepare materials on the upcoming redelineation exercise and remind people to check their voting status.
Follow-ups will also be made with the participants to ensure how the awareness is maintained.
James said the organisers have been maintaining regular contact since the Bersih 3 rally on April 2012, and they are organising the latest one to show support to the rallies in Malaysia.
"Everyone has a multiplier effect. Each of these Malaysians in Hong Kong can let others know and encourage their friends and family in Malaysia to join Bersih 4.
"Through this process, we hope more people will attend Bersih 4 in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu or Kuching, understand the five demands and understand what they need to do to save our country.
"They and everyone they come in contact with should make sure they are registered voters, continue to check their voter status; consider becoming objectors in the upcoming electoral boundary redelineation exercise; prepare to vote whether by going home to do so or as a postal voter in the next general election; they should think about how to get each and every Malaysian in Hong Kong to do the same.
"So, we feel that our organising a rally away from KL will make a difference in an indirect way," he told The Malaysian Insider in an email.
Global Bersih Jakarta organiser S.K.S. Sivananthan said the Bersih gathering in Jakarta would give Malaysians who are unable to join their families and friends back home an opportunity to voice their views.
"We do think it will make a difference by showing our support globally; we will have the whole world’s attention on our cause to show our country's poor political state, bad economic state and crime deterioration, our ruling government’s blunders and peaceful global Malaysians who march in peace for a better Malaysia," he said.
The Bersih rally in Jakarta will take place today at the Liquid Exchange at the Epicentrum Walk mall from 10.30am and 2pm local time. Some 200 participants are expected to attend the event.
The 35-year-old Sivananthan who has worked in the Indonesian capital for the past 10 years cited corruption, crime, budget deficit, the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) affair and the ringgit's free fall as among the concerns of Malaysians abroad.
"I am more worried about my children's future and I love our country so much... we want our beloved country to prosper, free from white collar crimes and high corruption, and have better economy and security," he added.
Global Bersih president Colin Rajah, meanwhile, condemned Putrajaya's alleged attempt to scuttle Bersih rallies overseas by threatening to revoke the scholarship of Malaysian students who support Bersih 4.
He claimed that organisers faced problems with the local police due to "misleading reports" from Malaysian embassies.
The Home Ministry announced yesterday that all yellow clothing as well as clothes with the words "Bersih 4", and also printed material connected to the rally, are prohibited at the rally.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi issued the order under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, which came into effect yesterday.
Earlier yesterday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) blocked Bersih 2.0's official website.
The move came after MCMC said it would block websites that promote and spread information about this weekend's Bersih 4 rally.
The Home Ministry on Tuesday had also declared Bersih 4 "illegal" and said it has caused uneasiness and worries among Malaysia's multi-racial citizens. – August 29, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/bersih-4-takes-off-worldwide-in-solidarity-with-rallies-in-malaysia#sthash.vbYiKX8h.dpuf
