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KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Claiming the support of 36
NGOs, Perkasa threw down the gauntlet last night to
organisers of the Bersih gathering to see who could rally
more support when the two groups face off in the federal
capital on July 9.
The Malay rights group said that it had no choice but to
take to the streets to counter election watchdogs Bersih
because “if we don’t, then the world will think that they
have the support of all Malaysians.”
“Wait for July 9, then we will see who has more,” Perkasa
president Datuk Ibrahim Ali told reporters after chairing a
roundtable meeting with representatives from various
NGOs.
The Pasir Mas MP insisted the 37 NGOs including Perkasa
was not trying to “create chaos” as alleged by critics but
simply wanting to show that “we are rakyat as well.”
“The Bersih gathering has a hidden political agenda to
cause chaos. There is no justification to gather hundreds
of thousands simply to ask for free and fair elections when
the Election Commission has already answered.
“Please don’t assume we are trying to create
chaos. That makes no sense at all. Our stand is
simple. They march, we march. They cancel, we
cancel. We don’t want them to say they are doing
this in the name of the rakyat. We are also the
rakyat,” he said.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties and activists are
gearing up to march next month in the second
such rally by Bersih, the first being in 2007 when
up to 50,000 were reported to have gathered in
the capital, with many being dispersed by water
cannons and tear gas fired by the police.
PAS has promised to bring 300,000 protestors this
year in hopes that it will galvanise support for the
opposition in the general election expected within
the year.
The 2007 rally was said to play a big role in
bringing record gains for the opposition electoral
pact in Election 2008, where it swept five state
governments and won 82 parliamentary seats.
Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia has urged
Malaysians to boycott the protest and quoted
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin
Hussein’s warning that “it will be chaotic when
those for and against the street demonstration
clash”.
Ibrahim also echoed Utusan Malaysia’s claim that Bersih
was being led by those who are anti-Islam.
Saying that Bersih chief and former Bar Council president
Datuk Ambiga Sreevanasan has been pushing for an
interfaith council and supported Lina Joy’s apostasy,
Ibrahim called for PAS to withdraw its support for the
rally.
Perkasa also announced that it will launch the Anti-Bersih
Movement on June 19, when it expects more NGOs to join
its ranks.
Also present at today’s roundtable were former PKR
lawmakers Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim and
Datuk Zulkifli Noordin who are now independent MPs.
