In commenting on the statement by Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar that Bersih 2.0 should focus on its original objectives, Unimas political analyst Dr Jeniri Amir said the group was not wrong to raise other national issues related to politics and political leaders.
“We cannot run away from issues linked to politics and political leaders as it may have an effect on elections.”
At the same time however, he believed Bersih 2.0 had a hidden agenda.
“It seems that Bersih 2.0 cannot run away from the perception that it wants to change the government.”
He said Bersih 2.0’s demands for action against 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) appeared to be an attempt to capture the political imagination of the people, when its main purpose should be to push for electoral reforms.
Jeniri was of the opinion that if a civil society movement like Bersih 2.0 was seen as taking sides, it was doing a disservice to itself.
Universiti Malaya political analyst, Prof Awang Azman Awang Pawi also said it was not wrong for Bersih 2.0 to diversify their objectives in the name of safeguarding national interests.
However, he told FMT that the group’s credibility would be affected if the main focus of the rally they planned to hold soon shifted to 1MDB.
Furthermore, he said even though Bersih 2.0 called itself a civil society movement, it risked being seen as biased, as it did not react to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s corruption case in the same way.
He said civil society movements should not be seen as taking sides politically, and should act independently against any party or political ideology.
Awang said if Bersih 2.0 wanted to shift or diversify its objectives, it should inform its members as well as explain their rationale for doing so to the public and media.
Yesterday, FMT reported that the IGP had urged Bersih 2.0 to stay focused on the issue of fair elections, as they were set-up with those objectives in mind.
The nation’s top cop said this when responding to an announcement by the electoral watchdog’s chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, that a rally would be held soon to protest the government’s continuing “denial and inaction” over the 1MDB scandal.