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Bersih 2.0: Reforms in Malaysia must include immigration control
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Activists from the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) gather on a main road in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during a rally on Jan. 2. (AP/Joshua Paul)
B
ersih 2.0 will fight for institutional reforms that include immigration control following the barring of its chairman from leaving Malaysia.
Its chairman Maria Chin Abdullah was barred from leaving the country on Sunday as she was on her way to receive a human rights award in South Korea.
A statement by the group of 46 civil society organizations said the travel ban is a sign of the Government recognizing the strength of Bersih 2.0.
It said that not only has Bersih 2.0 given "vibrancy to electoral reform and made it a national agenda for change with its eight demands", it is now fighting for institutional reforms to establish a "healthy multiparty democracy".
Citing Chin's travel ban and Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem's barring of politicians and activists from entering Sarawak, the group called upon Malaysians to stand up to these practices.
Some of the civil society organizations in the group include Akademi Belia, All Women's Action Society (Awam), Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation (Prima), Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower), Sabah Women’s Action Resource Group (Sawo), Sarawak Women for Women Society (SWWS), Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM), Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Women's Centre for Change, Penang (WCC).
