Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 23^rd June 2011: 

Would Hishammuddin have arrested his grandfather Datuk Onn Jaffar for organizing peaceful mass rallies and meetings resulting in formation of UMNO if the latter had been alive today?

It offends all notions of good sense and fair play of rational Malaysians for the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to put Bersih on the same footing as Perkasa when he announced yesterday that the Police would summon Bersih, UMNO Youth and Perkasa for planning separate rallies on July 9.

Bersih is planning a Bersih 2.0 rally to call for free, fair and clean elections with the organizers repeatedly, unreservedly and unqualifiedly declaring their commitment to ensure that the rally will be a peaceful expression of the deeply-felt wishes of Malaysians transcending race, religion, gender, age and political affiliation for an a free and fair electoral system which would make all Malaysians proud in the world.

The Perkasa counter-protest is a different kettle of fish altogether – born to create strife and unrest. Its President Ibrahim Ali even declared himself a “war general” for the July 9 counter-protest to the peaceful Bersih rally, invoking provocative and inflammatory images of chaos bloodshed and May 13 – even threatening the Chinese community by warning the Chinese to stay home and stock up on food during the planned Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9.

What the Home Minister and police should do is to arrest and charge Ibrahim Ali for the serious crime of racial and social incitement by publicly planning a highly mischievous rally prepared for civil unrest and even another May 13 instead of giving Perkasa respectability by putting it on the same footing as Bersih for wanting to hold public rallies on July 9.

In this connection, let me ask a direct question to Hishammddin whether he is planning with top police officials a Operation Lalang 2 involving mass Internal Security Act arrests over the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for free, fair and clean elections?

This question must be asked in view of the many uncalled-for warnings by the Home Minister and the Police of repressive actions which would be taken to clamp down on the proposed Berish 2.0 rally.

Bersih 2.0 organisers and all who support Bersih 2 rally have all made one common commitment – that it will be a peaceful, civil and civilized expression of the hopes and aspirations of right-thinking Malaysians transcending race, religion, gender, age or political affiliation for greater maturity of the democratic process in Malaysia.

I call on the Home Minister to facilitate the successful holding of the peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally instead of enjoining and compelling the police to suppress the democratic rights of Malaysians.

Holding of peaceful public gatherings and rallies is a fundamental human right recognized and respected all over the civilized world.

In fact, one of the pioneers of peaceful public rallies in Malaysia is none other than Datuk Onn Jaffar, the grandfather of the Home Minister.

Would Hishammuddin have arrested his grandfather Datuk Onn Jaffar for organizing peaceful mass rallies and meetings resulting in formation of UMNO if the latter had been alive today?

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