One of the most important determinant factors as to whether a country is truly democratic or not is the election process.
if election is not fair, then whatever democracy the power-that-be is talking is just rhetoric.
An unfair election is like a football game where one side – let us call it the home side- has all the advantages: smaller goal post than the other side , uneven field where the opposing side needs to attack uphill, a biased referee which would give penalty against the opposing side for small infringement whereas the home side would go unpunished even for dangerous tackles and other fouls.
How to win against these unfair practices? How to win when one seat has more than 100,000 voters and another 5000 only?The one in the former has only 1/20th weight-age of the latter. this is just one of the many things which are stacked against any side hoping to win against the Home Side.
So in order to have a 2 party system in place, and a true democracy in place, a fair election process is of utmost importance and one of the foremost consideration in any demand for change.
The Parliamentary select committee has come out with its 22 point recommendations. It is an improvement but actually still falls short of the need to have a clean and truly fair election process. They fall short of the demand by Bersih 2.0 which are summarised as:
cleaning of the electoral roll, reforms to postal voting, the use of indelible ink, free and fair access to media, a minimum 21-day campaign period, the strengthening of public institutions, a stop to political corruption, and an end to “dirty” politics
Thus I support the call by Bersih to have a third rally on 28th April 2012.
I hope this time the authority has learned its lessons from Bersih 2.0 and would not resort to using rough tactic to quell the rally.
It would actually be counter productive to use force on a peaceful gathering asking for fair elections, as been witnessed time and again overseas.
If Myanmar is also on the brink of change, I think it is high time that we should really strive for a clean and fair election. BN politicians should realise that a clean and fair election process would be beneficiary even to BN in the long run, for if it loses the next GE or the next next , the same fair and clean rules would apply to the other side in power , making it easier for BN to make a comeback after undergoing housecleaning and drastic change.
BN should not hope to be in power forever; no regime in the world has achieved that.
Dr. Hsu's forum 
Apr 04, 2012 @ 16:05:02
BN goes into the election with huge advantages like:
1) gerrymandered seats – rural seats where they have support are far smaller than urban seats where they lack support.
2) postal votes – all faked of course due to no monitoring process
3) full access to mass media while opposition has zero access
4) Overseas Malaysians not allowed to vote except for BN friendly groups
5) unlimited money
6) abuse of govt machinery to campaign.
7) the power of an incumbent govt to use tax payers’ money for soliciting votes
Despite all these advantages BN still need to CHEAT via the conniving EC which behaves like a dept of Umno. For example the EC will appoint 100,000 extra election workers with postal vote to counter the loss of 100,000 postal votes from the security forces which has been replaced by advanced voting.
BN isn’t fighting to remain in Putajaya at the next G.E., they are only fighting to get back 2/3 majority. Would a govt which is fearful of losing steamroll public opinion to shaft Lynas down the public’s throats?
The more support BN loses the more it cheats via the EC to compensate. We have probably reached the point where it is almost impossible for BN to lose. Hence we will become like Arab countries where is is impossible for the ruling regime to lose no matter how unpopular. Mubarak of Egypt could win 90% of parliament seats with almost no grass root support.
Bersih 3.0 is to demand the right to choose our own govt in free and fair elections instead of having this thieving regime shafted down our throats in sham elections.
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Apr 04, 2012 @ 20:48:59
It has reached the point of no return. Bersih 3.0 must proceed, otherwise Malaysia will trail at the back of all Asean countries in a decade period. Hope all Malaysians realise that unless we change government, else we will doom and it takes century for us to catch up once we fall into this bottomless pit.
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Apr 04, 2012 @ 21:54:27
I am working abroad now. Since, they will not entertain my voting overseas, I will ask for my rights. I have book my flight back to Malaysia and will join in this Rally. I don’t want to know about the consequences. When I leave this earth, I can at least say I have done a small part for my beloved Malaysia. Long live the King! Long live democracy!
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Apr 04, 2012 @ 22:25:21
It is difficult to win a soccer match against all odds, unless we have Khairul Fahmi Che Mat as the goalkeeper and the rest 10 players are strikers. Strike fast and hard, there is no time for defense.
No matter what, BN will remain in power, even with all the scandals expose and obvious corruptions, BN still has HARD CORE supporters. I really do not understand why these hard core supporters are still there, make me want to dissect their brain and have a look inside, what is really wrong with their logic and moral standing.
But I cannot say the same for Sabah & Sarawak, hard core poor is rampant and money talks the loudest. One vote only cost between RM10 to RM250. The Poor are not concern about politics, they are concern about food on the table even it is a short term gain.
Sabah & Sarawak is the fixed deposit for BN and I concur with it.
Bersih 3.0 will only help Pakatan Raykat to win more states but not simple majority in Parliament. Road to Putrajaya… odds is just too high to consider.
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Apr 05, 2012 @ 08:43:15
The hard core supporters are the kleptocrats, the far rightists/fascists and the fooled.
Note that the kleptocrats come from all ethnic groups.
The most logical strategy is to reach out to the fooled and open their eyes.
.
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Apr 05, 2012 @ 10:41:33
even among some educated people, they are still for BN. They still buy the sell by KTK and the likes that BN is needed for business stability, and that others will be as corrupt, and they will site some of the scoundrels from opposite sides that do dabble in corruptions. I met with so much resistance when trying to convince members of my former party when i was still a member to get the party out of BN, and many will give this sort of standard reply why they think BN is still needed.
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Apr 05, 2012 @ 11:58:28
Dr Hsu,
I concur with you. Elitists are the hard core for status quo as they are fearful of leaving their comfort zone. This is especially true to Gelakanians as they always perceived themselves as the unique “elite” group which have “higher” ideals as compare to MCA and DAP. As a result they were trapped in their stagnant elite mindset. They became the stumbling block for changes. KTK is the epitome of this stumbling hard core group.
However, all is not lost yet as I sense more people has began to realise the rot must stop and BN must go in order to save the country. Forget about KTK and CSL as they are just a tiny dust to be blown away without any significant effect. I see the dawn of a better Malaysia as 2012 will be a new beginning of the Asean region. For those who has the ability and will to help, please spare your time in the upcoming GE13 to go back to your respective kampong to try and influence kampong folks to vote for change.
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Apr 05, 2012 @ 13:45:01
Yes, Dr Hsu’s observation is interesting.
There is also the “softcore” group that is fearful of change and who believe that continued
UMNO-BN rule guarantees “stability”.
They need to learn that continued kleptocratic UMNO-BN rule risks Malaysia becoming more and more like Nigeria and Philippines i.e. riven by manufactured ethnic strife & religious strife that can result in actual tragedy, a deteriorating economy and lack of economic competitiveness, large gap between the “haves” and the “have nots”, widespread corruption and waste of the country’s rich natural resources, crumbling infrastructure etc.
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Apr 05, 2012 @ 14:37:15
Dr Phua,
Philippines has began to crawl out from the muddy water. The question is whether they can sustain the momentum of transformation initiated. All Asean countries are on uptrend except Bolehland.
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 00:17:42
Ah Jib Gor asked the people not to change ‘the driver’ mid-way, as the journey still needs an experienced driver, like him.
There was a response from the people that we should not stop at the driver, but also change the car which is old, faulty and accident-prone.
Bersih3 is out to just that, to help the people decide what is fair and just- like a broom (not a new broom) that sweeps away the cob-webs in the corridors of gerrymeandering, phantom voters, postal voters, overseas Malaysian voters, and supposedly unethical means to garner and gather votes, etc, etc.
Ah Jib Gor and his MooHiDin have dished out the tax payers’ money to the people, and of late even the taxi drivers would be roped in. The clarion call of ‘you help me, I help you’ still rings throughout the nation.
Bersih3 will be held on 28 April 2012. All walks of life are expected to join in this big sit-in , in order to stand up for the rights of the people to a fair, free and just government.
This will be after the Agong’s installation on 11 April,2012, which is believed to be an auspicious day for the nation. Long live the Agong, and may peace and harmony, and a fair , free and just government prevail in this country.
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 10:01:27
Agreed with your view….that true democracy can only begin with a clean and fair electoral process. There are of course exceptions…. tyrants who came to power by force and were subsequently accepted and liked by their people (peter the great of russia, the gulf rulers etc.) ……but those were temporary governments
of benevolent despots without a succession plan and a constitution.
constitution and with no succession plan m
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 11:21:41
Dear knowing a little law,
What you say in true? There is a possibilities of that. You need to have ultimate power to change things. Same goes on uniting the waring nations in China, which it has done good.
Well, UMNO has been given the power to do so, what is the result?
Force (or arranged) marriages sometimes brings happyness.
Time is up for UMNO. I am implementing ABU Protocol. It might be Mission Impossible, but at least I have done my part.
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 12:20:55
knowing a little law,
A strong man sometimes is good for the country provided that he is good , not greedy and able to put in good policies beneficial to the people.
South Korea and Taiwan become what they are today mainly because of strong man politics in the 70s and 80s, and this formed a foundation from which democracy slowly takes root.
But many other countries suffered from strong man politics. In Pakistan, in Eygpt, in the Phillipines. Strong men became symbols of corrutption and tyrants.
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 12:41:04
No one should tolerate or relent this massive corruption, theft and injustice another day. When Syrians want democracy, free & fair elections, Assad calls them terrorists and kills them in the thousands. PBB, UMNO, BN are no better. Power corrupts absolutely and corruption is the root of many evils problems on planet earth. Crims like those in Sarawak or UMNO are still walking proud and uttering sweet or authoritative words, it’s nauseating (vomiting) and most despicable. Don’t wait another day, start your boycott of their cronies, their newspapers & operations. Do something now!
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 12:41:25
I speak from a country ranked among the top in the world for democracy and non-corruption. The world see too clearly! Perkasa is evil, super-racist, self-enriching, self-glorifying. Look at these:
Putrajaya only had 6,008 voters but Opposition-held Kapar had a staggering 112,224 voters, 17 times more than Putrajaya. Gerrymandering & deceit, not democracy! State-controlled media; vote buying; phantom voters; new voters from illegal immigrants….
You know well what curse will befall those for supporting a corrupt & evil regime. God bless all the rest that suffer injustice.
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 12:42:12
PM Najib, we demand an answer! Why are you pretending all the massive multi-billion corruption & plundering are non-existent? Just one of many cases here: Despite a registered letter from some 15 NGOs demanding arrest of Taib Mamhud after 31 years! & sarawkreport.org Where is your integrity, sense of shame and legitimacy to lead? You should be impeached for treason – deceiving & undermining Malaysia! I speak from NZ, rated among the top in the world for democracy & transparency.
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Apr 06, 2012 @ 14:54:18
http://aliran.com/8653.html
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