MCA: Attacking Ambiga to stop Bersih 'irresponsible'

MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu has expressed “dismay” at the extent of personal attacks and vilification of Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan, by critics who had failed to make their case in a “rational manner”.

“It is very sad to see certain quarters resorting to personal attacks when they fail to put forward their case in a rational manner,” said Gan in a statement.

While pointing out that in principle MCA does not support the planned Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 in Kuala Lumpur, he is dismayed by the “extent some are willing to go to vilify and demonise” Ambiga.

“I personally do not agree with Bersih 2.0 holding the rally in the way it is to be held, but that does not mean that I will smear her just to derail the event. That is a most irresponsible thing to do,” he said.

Gan said Ambiga’s background as the former Bar Council president has nothing to do with Bersih’s agenda of free and fair elections.

However the deputy minister for youth and sports took a swipe at Anwar Ibrahim's earlier quip that he would tell Ambiga to call off the rally if Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will ensure free and fair elections, as a “sign” that Bersih is being “manipulated” by opposition politicians.

Ambiga has been the focus of attempts to halt the rally, from both the ruling coalition and Malay rights pressure group Perkasa.

Perkasa, which has threatened to counter the Bersih 2.0 rally, has attacked Ambiga venomously, distributing leaflets (right) calling her “Wanita Hindu yang merbahaya (The dangerous Hindu lady)" and stomping on her image.

It insinuated that Ambiga is a threat to the Malays and Islam, playing up past issues involving the former Bar president to back its claims.

Unfazed, the Bersih chief has responded saying the rally is not about her, and that it will go on as planned.

MARA parrots Perkasa

Last Saturday, analyst Ramlah Adam of the Universiti Teknologi Mara echoed Perkasa’s claims, regurgitating its take on Ambiga’s history with the Lina Joy conversion case, the inter-faith council initiative and other past activities that Ramlah said showed a “history of provoking Muslims”.

"As a lawyer, Ambiga (right) knows better than most that an assembly without a police permit is illegal. I don't understand why she is planning to go ahead with it despite protests from various groups," said Ramlah in a Bernama report.

The same report cited unnamed “observers” as being perplexed at claims about unfair elections, stating that Pakatan's victory in “six states” in the last general election was proof that all was fine.

Ambiga was called to Dang Wangi police station today to record a statement.

Meanwhile NGO Sisters in Islam (SIS) has blasted the use of race and religion as a tactic to counter Bersih 2.0.

“The use of race and religion to demonise Bersih 2.0 has escalated in the past few days and this has resulted in death threats against Ambiga and other members of the steering committee.

“We condemn the use of violence and threat of violence – instead, civil dialogue must prevail as a way to address differences of opinions,” said SIS acting executive director Ratna Osman in a statement today.

Voicing support for the rally and its call for electoral reforms, Ratna criticised the use of police reports to intimidate the NGOs working towards Bersih.

She also said the manipulation of the right to demand free and fair elections that was fundamental to democracy, to suggest the opposite, is “mind-boggling and dangerous”.

“Regardless of whether one supports or rejects Bersih 2.0’s position on electoral reforms, the right to assemble is an integral part of a living, functional democratic nation-state,” she said.

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