MCA tells Bersih to shed link with Pakatan
(The Malaysian Insider) – A MCA leader today urged Bersih 2.0 to distance itself from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to remain apolitical, even as the troubled electoral reforms group faces major hurdles which could dampen its rally turnout this Saturday.
MCA treasurer-general Datuk Seri Tan Chai Ho explained in a statement today that this was because PR, led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was attempting to hijack Bersih 2.0’s rally to gain political mileage.
Anwar, he added, was aiming to steal Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan’s thunder this Saturday to divert attention from the latest sex allegation against him.
“PR should not have hijacked the Bersih rally. This is a cheap political ploy to fish for votes and to achieve political milestone by inciting people to hate the government.
“If Bersih is intended to be apolitical, I encourage Datuk Ambiga to distance the Bersih organisers from PR,” Tan wrote in a brief statement today.
He added that PR’s “hijack” plan was mirrored yesterday when the coalition’s leaders sounded a call to arms and pledged to mobilise at least 300,000 people to participate in the rally.
In a press conference after its leadership council meeting, PR leaders led by Anwar, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, PAS and PKR deputy presidents, Mohamad Sabu and Azmin Ali, declared the coalition’s support for Bersih 2.0’s plan to relocate its rally to a stadium instead of on the streets.
“This suggests that PR wants to link with Bersih and that Anwar wants to replace Bersih chief organiser Ambiga as the main leader at the assembly to shout out loud Pakatan’s agenda and all focus would be on Anwar,” said Tan.
