Bersih

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Bersih , Malay for "clean", is a coalition of non-governmental organizations that the electoral process in Malaysia are trying to reform.

requirements

Bersih makes eight demands on the Malay Electoral Commission:

  • The cleaning of the electoral register
    The Malay electoral register contains numerous ambiguities as well as deceased voters and non-existent voter addresses. Bersih demands its revision and the deletion of the phantom voters.
  • Postal Voting Reform
    At present, it is not possible for Malay citizens living abroad to vote in the elections . Bersih demands the possibility of postal voting for all people who are not able to be personally present at the polling station . The election should also be made possible for police officers, soldiers and civil servants.
  • Use of Legacy Ink
    Legacy ink is an inexpensive and effective measure in preventing election fraud. She will u. a. used in India , Indonesia and the Philippines to mark voters' fingers to prevent them from voting again. In 2007 the Malay Electoral Commission decided to use it, but this plan was not implemented.
  • Extension of campaign times to at least 21 days.
    This is intended to allow parties more time to disseminate information in remote rural areas. The country's first elections in 1955 were preceded by a campaign period of 42. In 2008 this time was reduced to eight days.
  • Free and fair media access
    Bersih demands that state media provide all political parties with objective reporting.
  • Strengthening public institutions
    Public institutions should act independently and impartially. Bersih demands that u. a. the judiciary and police in the country are being reformed in order to be able to act more independently. Above all, the election commission should work for credibility and correctness in the elections.
  • Fight against corruption
    The judiciary , executive and legislative branches of Malaysia have been overshadowed by several allegations of corruption. Bersih calls for serious measures to be taken to combat them.
  • The fight against dirt politics
    The state media in Malaysia often report on the private life (especially of opposition) politicians. Bersih calls for an end to 'politics below the belt' and more objectivity in the parliamentary debate.

Bersih rally 2007

On November 10, 2007, the 'Bersih' rally in Kuala Lumpur took place without a police permit. The Malay security police violently triggered the demonstration using tear gas and water cannons, which threw acidic water at the demonstrators. 15 men and two women were arrested.

After the first rally, Bersih announced that it would organize another demonstration if the government extended the term of office of then-President of the Electoral Commission, Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman. A month later, a law was passed increasing the retirement age of electoral commission members from 65 to 66 years. Thus, Abdul Rashid was able to preside over the 2008 elections.

Bersih 2.0 rally 2011

Bersih scheduled another rally for July 9, 2011, in anticipation of the next elections in 2012. The project was widely criticized by the government and the media close to the government. The police arrested several Bersih supporters in advance. After an audience with the Malay king, the organizers agreed to a compromise to move the rally from the street to a stadium.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Bersih’s 8 Demands ( Memento of the original from July 14, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Bersih 2.0  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / bersih.org
  2. ↑ More phantom voters discovered in Permatang Pauh ( Memento of July 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) In: Free Malaysia Today
  3. ↑ SNAP to compile evidence of phantom voters. ( Memento of August 29, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) In: Malaysia Today.
  4. ↑ EC: Postal Voting only for certain groups .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. The Star@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / thestar.com.my  
  5. ↑ Malaysia scraps plan to use indelible ink in election + ( Memento of March 6, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) AP
  6. ↑ 10-day campaign period too short, says lecturer . Borneo Post Online
  7. ↑ Malaysia's corruption at critical level - watchdog. ( Memento of April 17, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) at: forbes.com , December 6, 2008.
  8. ^ Sordid Politics in Malaysia: Hitting below the belt . The Economist
  9. ↑ Yen Mun Lee: Bersih's Ambiga: No street march, rally will be held in stadium. (No longer available online.) In: The Star . July 5, 2011, archived from the original on July 8, 2011 ; Retrieved July 5, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.thestar.com.my
  10. ^ Yen Kuan Gan, Daniel Ten Kate: Malaysia Street Protests Averted as Group Agrees to Use Stadium. In: bloomberg.com. July 5, 2011, accessed July 5, 2011 .