Media statement by Lim Kit Siang when visiting Tung Shin Hospital Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 10^th July 2011: 

709 marks the empowerment of the real 1Malaysia

“709” will go down in Malaysian history as the day of empowerment of the real 1Malaysia – where all races and religions came together to demand a “Clean Malaysia”, not just for clean elections but also in the political system and all aspects of national governance.

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak coined the 1Malaysia slogan on taking office in April 2009 but it has been pure gimmicry in the past two years and three months – reduced to 1Malaysia T-shirt 1Malaysia Tupperware circus.

But it was yesterday that Malaysians of all races and religions who gave true meaning to a 1Malaysia by coming out in tens of thousands in the federal capital to support Bersih's call for free, fair and clean elections. This is something Najib can never understand.

In 1981 a new Prime Minister launched a national slogan of Bersih Cekap Amanah. But 30 years down the road, abuses of power and greed have so corrupted the system of governance that the national government is afflicted with a terminal bout of Bersih-phobia with “Bersih” regarded as so dirty, criminal and subversive a word that it is a justification for police arrest on sight and the heavy-handed suppression of the peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally for Merdeka Stadium yesterday. On top of Bersih-phobia, there is also xanthophobia – fear of yellow!

The violent and brutal police conduct yesterday, resulting in the death of Baharuddin Ahmad, a martyr for justice and fair play in Malaysia; the mass arrests of over 1,400 people; the wanton and criminal firing of tear gas such as into the Tung Shin Hospital and the KL Sentral tunnel aimed directly at Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat leaders violate all principles of democratic policing where the police should protect the human rights of the people.

The 2005 Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission recommended three core functions for an efficient, professional world-class police service – to reduce crime, to eradicate corruption and to uphold human rights. Yesterday, the police did not uphold human rights but suppressed human rights!

There must be a total revamp of the mission of the Malaysian police to ensure that it abandon the regime policing of colonial times to abide by the principles of democratic policing to vindicate and protect the human rights of all Malaysians.

A Clean Malaysia not just for elections, but for the political system and all aspects of national governance is now the rallying cry for all Malaysians who want to see real change and transformation in the country.

The high-handed and repressive actions of the Barisan Nasional government has reduced the choice of Malaysians to very simple terms – whether they are for a Malaysia which is Bersih or Not Bersih!

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor