Those who are familiar with international instruments will know that every citizen has the right to participate in the conduct of public affairs, as clearly spelt out under Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Furthermore, the United Nations Human Rights Council explains that an important aspect of the ICCPR is the state's full compliance in ensuring free communication of information, including having a free press and conceding the right for its populace to hold peaceful assemblies in public.

In this regard, Malaysia's abject failure is undisputed. Not only have the successive Barisan Nasional governments maintained a tight grip on media censorship, again manifested in Rais Yatim's denial of airtime to the opposition, the current administration under Najib Abdul Razak has made no attempt whatsoever to enourage public debate in order to foster a real idea of enlightment.

Still, Malaysia sits shamelessly on the UN Human Rights Council and the government continues to congratulate itself over its own pseudo-democracy. The BN appears to think Malaysia is now a 'full democracy' on par with others in the region (such as Indonesia, South Korea and Taiwan) and beyond, because for the first time in history, a serious opposition pact is giving the longest-serving 'freely elected' government a run for its money.

The fact is, BN has managed to survive thus far thanks to gerrymandering, a biased Election Commission, the control of information, draconnian laws, and most crucially, politics of fear - ie. fear over race, religion or else. So long as the ruling coalition enjoys exclusive use of state institutions and carries on with media manipulations, it can hardly call itself a democratically elected government in every true sense of the words.

Put simply, no genuinely democratic country will perceive public demands for a clean and fair election as a menace. In the same vein, no government that is legitimately chosen by the people will identify dissidents as state enemies. But in Malaysia, every request by the public to call for a public protest over state practices or government policies is dismissed as political gimmickry on the part of the opposition, while the people are seen as pontential thugs.

Now that the management of Stadium Merdeka has approved the venue to be used for the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (People's Uprising Rally) tomorrow, the police is again having two minds about it. I am not bothered, for it only shows that there are serious cracks within the police force and, by extension, in Umno.

Is one not curious as to who actually planted the story of Najib's suffering from a minor stroke just one week ahead of the ‘Mother of all Protests’ this weekend?

That the police would come up with the unreasonable and ridiculous proposal for a special media tag also arouses greater concern that there could be a massive crackdown targeted specifically at civilians.

The spirit of fearlessness

Even if I were willing to consider Najib as a moderate who had been suing for peace, all that has transpired so far only exposes his weakness as a leader. If he cannot carry the entire party with him when it comes to the so-called reform agenda, but continues to be saddled by factional conflicts (and mired in scandals involving his wife), he does not deserve my support and I would be most happy to see him removed.

It'd better happen before the upcoming general election so that the Malaysian electorate has a real chance of finishing off the utterly corrupt and anachronistic coalition.

Am I not being used by the opposition in attending the rally? Not in the least. What really is alarming to me are the apparent lack of a clean and fair election, the industrial projects that may prove detrimental to Malaysia's ecology in the long run, and the ubridled abuse of power by the government. It is these grave concerns commonly shared by many in the country that motivates me to walk the street again.

Since these issues are non-partisan, I would be heartened to see any BN members there as well.

And I have seen tremendous advancements since the first Bersih rally more than five years ago. Every time when the powers-that-be sought to curtail, and even suppress the people's will, Malaysians fought back with greater determination in and commitment to having a real say in politics. It is this spirit of fearlessness that has finally compelled the government and its minions to give way, albeit slowly.

Tomorrow's event represents a battle royal that is also a litmus test of the people's will.

The BN-friendly press has become largely muted too. Just days before the Bersih 2.0 protest in July 2011, the 'senior writers' at Sin Chew Daily and The Star churned out one article after another to either mock the civil rights' movement or to discourage the public from taking part. Today, they are conspicuously and elegantly silent, just like Najib.

As for those who work for organisations linked to the government, including whatever 'think-tank' patronised by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, they have no right to question if one would lose one's neutrality by sharing a platform with the opposition. At this critical juncture of Malaysian history, the biggest sin is, perhaps, for one to be absent from a very meaningful and vitally significant event out of self-righteousness and false impartiality towards political change.

See you there.

JOSH HONG studied politics at London Metropolitan University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. A keen watcher of domestic and international politics, he longs for a day when Malaysians will learn and master the art of self-mockery, and enjoy life to the full in spite of politicians.