Plans for Bersih 5.0 rally on the agenda

PETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 will decide soon on holding a rally to pressure for the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“We will weigh the pros and cons together with other NGOs before making a decision on whether or not to hold the rally,” said Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah.

The plan for a Bersih 5.0 rally came about after the US Justice Department’s initiative to seize US$1bil (RM4.06bil) worth of assets allegedly linked to 1MDB.

Maria said that this would be on the agenda of the meeting with representatives from 90 NGOs, adding that the date for the meeting had not been set.

“The stand we took right from Bersih 4.0 is that Najib should step down and we want to see real electoral reforms,” she said.

Asked whether Bersih 2.0 would also take a similar stand against Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who had been charged with two counts of corruption last month, Chin said they would not interfere with the court case.

Chin said they would also demand that Attorney-General Tan Sri Apandi Ali re-open the case against 1MDB.

Chin also clarified that the movement was not involved in running the Bersih 5.0 Facebook page.

Yesterday, Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Jamal Yunos said he would organise a gathering simultaneously with Bersih 5.0 in protest of those who were against constitutional democracy.

“Najib, who was democratically elected, should be defended by all Malaysians, the same way Turkey defended their ruling government when there was a coup against it,” he said.

He “welcomed” a Bersih 5.0 rally, saying: “Let’s see their strength and the people’s confidence in them.”

As for his gathering, Jamal said that he was expecting more than 300,000 people.

“We will gather, bigger than ever, and we will paint KL red,” he said.

Yesterday, Jamal addressed a small gathering in front of Sogo.

He said they were protesting against leaders who had called on Malaysians to take to the streets to demand for Najib’s resignation.