Cakap cakap....BERSIH 2.0

BEAUFORT, June 18 – The opposition is hiding behind the planned Bersih 2.0 rally with a plot to topple the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

Aisehman for once I am in agreement with this DPM of ours! Very perceptive of him to say that the opposition is trying to topple the ruling Barsian Nasional government. Wonder why it took him this long to figure that out. He must have put two and two together - what the last BERSIH rally did to BN and figured out if they could do that at the last 12th general election - they MUST be trying to do the same thing again now!

But just because UMNO is using PERKASA to kacahau the opposition that does not mean that the opposition is hiding behind BERSIH 2.0 to topple Barisan Nasional. What the opposition is doing is not hiding behind BERSIH 2.0 - the opposition is standing shoulder to shoulder with all those that wants a free and fair elections. UMNO hides behind Perkasa. UMNO covertly support Perkasa to do its dirty work for it. The opposition does not hide behind anything. Pakatan Rakyat is out there in the open being harassed by PDRM, by MACC, by UMNO and by all the government machinery's under the control of Barisan Nasional - and yet it is still standing strong and defiant because being right gives you strength to do what you have to do even in the face of overwhelming odds! 

Here is the thing Muidin...this BERSIH 2.0 rally is a rally whose time has come. This is not something Tok Guru or Hadi, DSAI or Kit Siang can just pluck out of thin air and say "Let us get some Rakyats together to demand Free and Fair elections". This is not something that PAS can make happen because PAS supporters by themselves are not enough to make this rally a success. Nor can DAP or PKR - not without the support and participation of the Rakyat.

If you remember it was the people who made REFORMASI a reality for DSAI. There were enough people on the streets demanding REFORMASI to make Mahathir and the BN  government become disturbingly aware of their presence and their support for what DSAI then signified - a much needed promise for change.

Only the people can deliver the critical mass in terms of numbers to ensure that this BERSIH 2.0 Rally will have a voice loud enough to drown Perkasa or Pemuda UMNO. Because this is the Rakyats rally! The 62 NGO's can organize, support and encourage the Rakyat to turn up for the rally but what Muidin and Najib are so worried about is how the Rakyat will respond. That they are that worried is already one plus point for the steering committee of this BERSIH 2.0 rally. Syabas to them!

By all accounts the number that will turn up for this BERSIH 2.0 rally is massive. Huge. Overwhelming. And this of course worries Muidin. He knows that Perkasa is no match to what BERSIH 2.0 can deliver in terms of numbers. Pemuda UMNO is a more worthwhile opponent for BERSIH 2.0 to face only because it is Pemuda UMNO that has more to lose then BERSIH 2.0. KJ has nothing to lose. From where he is now in UMNO's hierarchy he can only go up...and being a spoiler for the BERSIH 2.0 rally seems about the only break he might have to do just that! He is past fighting for his political survival...he is clutching at straws to survive!

And so the stage is set for a confrontation. Not a confrontation for civilized and decent minds to each put forth their views and argue them out rationally and with grace. No, this will be a physical confrontation. Not a confrontation led by Keris brandishing Din or those empty headed UMNO zealots who are incredibly brave when faced with an UMNO assembly that cheers them on in the confines confines of PWTC! No! This will be a dry run for Perkasa and Pemuda UMNO to show UMNO what they can do in the run up to the 13th general elections! And it would seem that Perkasa and Pemuda UMNO are incredibly brave to face the thousands that will surely turn out in support of BERSIH 2.0!

Incredibly brave indeed! What is there to fear when you have PDRM and the ARMY backing you? What is there to fear when you are standing behind armed riot squad police against BERSIH 2.0 particiapnts who are unharmed? And what is there to fear when the government of the day will invoke the ISA and what have you against BERSIH 2.0 to ensure that their "bravery" is not for nothing! The coalition of the "incredibly brave" Persaka, Pemuda UMNO, UMNO, Barisan Nasional - all with incredibly large armies and deep pockets to fight against its own people!

POLICE PERMIT already given to PERKASA!

A government that is willing to push its people to the brink is an irresponsible government. It is irresponsible to allow Perkasa and Pemuda UMNO to hinder what BERSIH 2.0 intends to do. But what does UMNO care? What does Hishmauddin cares? What does the IGP cares? They think that they can control and manipulate the outcome of this confrontation by remote control to favour the Barisan Nasional government - their political masters. It is irresponsible because the volatility of the situation where race, religion and politics is to be manipulated to gain a preferred outcome is fraught with danger and unpredictability. Emotions and passions cannot be held in check. In a riot situation people will get hurt. People will get out of control People will die! Iff one life is lost....even if one Rakyat is injured - it will be a crime that our own government has commit against its own people 

I know that most of you that intends to be with this BERSIH 2.0 rally are afraid! There is no shame in being afraid of baton wielding Policemen bent on beating the day lights out of their own people. There is no shame of being afraid of the ISA. What you should be ashamed of is if you sit by and do nothing! Do nothing about a government that thinks nothing of unleashing its physical force against it own people just so they can remain in power.

The most effective weapon against this Barisan Nasional government is its people. Do not forget that it was the people of Manila who came out in the hundreds of thousands in February 1986 to rid themselves of the Marcos after suffering 20 years of his pillaging and plundering of the people's nations wealth! The recent revolt in Egypt that rid themselves of the corrupt Hosni Mubarak regime was also the result of its people coming together to vent their frustration and anger - but only after 30 years of Mubarak's corrupt regime. And we have had over 50 years of UMNO - is it not enough?

Fifty over years of billions lost because of money politics. Fifty years of corruption, nepotism and greed which have by now become entrenched in the culture of UMNO....and sadly amongst the people of this country, primarily the Malays. Fifty years of teflon coated Barisan Nasional political leaders who still think that what they have done and what they are still doing is beyond our ability to comprehend! Not only do we comprehend but we are now prepared to do something about it! Observe what is on the electronic media! Read what we write on the blogs. Understand the implications of the opposition gains in the 12th general elections. Feel the "SURGE" that now reverberates amongst the people of this country! They are saying "ENOUGH!" They are saying "We will no longer tolerate politicians who are corrupt!"...and Perkasa or Pemuda UMNO stands in our way at their own peril.
　
I am not one for rhetoric's. Neither are those within the steering committee of BERSIH 2.0. What they have is a quiet determination and confidence of those who know they are on the side of what is right. They know that when need becomes greed then it is time that they step up to do their duty no matter what the costs will be to their personal self's! And believe you me that each and every one of those involved in the organizing of this BERSIH 2.0 rally is under enormous personal pressure to stand down and do the easy thing - run and hide from the mighty Barsian Nasional ogre!

Let us do the only thing we can do :

Join the BERSIH 2.0 rally.

Be not afraid for you will have the numbers.

"Safety in numbers is the hypothesis that, by being part of a large physical group or mass, an individual is proportionally less likely to be the victim of a mishap, accident, attack, or other bad event"

The wildebeest survival strategy is to bolt across a crocodile infested river in huge numbers. Yes there will be some of us that will be injured and taken in by PDRM -some migth even make the ultimate sacrifice with their life - but you need to have the numbers at the BERSIH 2.0 rally if the Barisan Nasional government is to understand that it is the Rakyat that they are up against! They already understand that reality now but this BERSIH 2.0 rally will be our way of showing Barisan Nasional how we intend to vote at the 13th general elections.

Nothing: Not Perkasa, not Pemuda UMNO, not PDRM not the threat of the ISA - nothing should prevent this BERSIH 2.0 rally - because it is a rally whose time has come!

"The public is the only critic whose judgment is worth anything at all".

Mark Twain.