The leader of the backbenchers in Sarawak, Abdullah Saidol, said “the Bersih 2.0 movement can be described as the ‘pot calling the kettle black’.”
For example, he said, “they” don’t promote active Bersih gatherings in opposition states.
Moreover, he said in the Borneo Post, the majority of the people did not subscribe to public disturbances and hostility as it may cause disruption to businesses and promote ill feelings.
Federal Minister of Works Fadillah Yusof advised against resorting to demonstrations to topple a leader, unless there was a political agenda to create chaos.
Fadillah and Abdullah were commenting on the Bersih 5 rally in Kuching on Saturday. It was reportedly dampened by rain after participants were earlier denied entry to the Amphitheatre along Jalan Budaya.
“I am not on anyone’s side, whether it’s ‘yellow’ or ‘red’,” added Fadillah. “The proper way is to sit down and discuss ways to resolve any issue.”
Fadillah, who is also Petra Jaya MP, cautioned that investors would pull out if there was chaos in the country, a move that could cause the economy to nose-dive.
He said Malaysia was still a developing country and taking to the streets was not the way to settle differences.
“If we were already a developed country, then it – demonstrations – would be okay,” he said, explaining that Malaysia would not have to depend on foreign investors and tourists.
Abdullah said he believed Bersih’s fundamental objective was to overthrow a democratically-elected government.
“The presence of prominent opposition leaders at the Bersih 5 rally was indisputable evidence it was politically-motivated,” charged Abdullah.
Poor weather apparently didn’t discourage those who turned up for the rally in Kuching.
Bersih 2.0 Sarawak vice-chairperson, Ann Teo, told the rally that empowerment for Sarawak (and Sabah) was among the five demands of the movement.
“That’s similar to the demand by the Sarawak government,” she said. “This vision cannot be achieved without a clean government.”
Kuching police chief ACP Abang Ahmad Abang Julai said the Bersih rally in the Sarawak capital “proceeded without problems”.
It was reported the crowd in Kuching was less than the 3,000 at a similar rally last year at Song Kheng Hai.