COUNTDOWN TO BERSIH 3.0: 12 DAYS.

In separate statements to the media, Hishammuddin and Nazri had given the go-ahead to Bersih 2.0 to stage “Bersih 3.0”, provided that all matters pertaining to its chosen Dataran Merdeka venue are resolved.

Hishammuddin had urged the group to negotiate with the police on an appropriate location while Nazri had said it was okay for the event to proceed at Dataran Merdeka provided that permission is obtained from its owner.

Apart from seeking permission from the venue owner, Nazri had said that Bersih 2.0 need not obtain any permit from the police, in the spirit of the recently passed Peaceful Assembly Act 2011 (PAA).

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The Declaration of Mamas@BERSIH 3.0

Clean Elections for Our Children

We are mothers coming from all over Malaysia. We have decided to step forward to support the BERSIH 3.0 nationwide and worldwide sit-in, solemnly urging the Election Commission and the Najib Administration to implement comprehensive electoral reform before the next elections.

While traditionally mothers do not care much about politics, politics however deeply affect every family and the future of every child.

The health of our national economy affects our lives in very far-reaching ways: inflation is making it so hard for many just to make ends meet while day by day extravagance, mismanagement and corruption is pushing the country to the edge of bankruptcy. The failing education policy is depriving children and parents of choices and equality. Ordinary Malaysians are feeling disregarded, deprived and discriminated against, thanks to some little Napoleons in the government departments. And years after years, traffic jams and crimes never fail to ruin our happy moments. Politics is affecting the daily life of every family, every minute and every second.

We always worry that we may not afford to pay for our children’s college education someday. We always wonder: why some kids can never find enough teachers or facilities in their schools? And why some kids have to wake up early and brace traffic jams to go to school? We are always puzzled: why are our police more interested in suppressing and monitoring citizens, rather than chasing and catching criminals, so that our children may leave home happily and return safely?

As mothers, we feel most strongly the impact of all these problems affected by politics. However, what can we do other than worrying and feeling helpless?

We often feel that we can’t do anything to stop corruption, abuse of power or misuse of resources by the powerful. We are shocked to see so many unbelievable things happening in this country yet we can’t do anything. .

As far as the country’s future is concerned, our votes are our hope. As mothers, all we can hope is that with our votes, we can decide our fate and fight for a better and brighter future for our children.

However, when we realize that when electoral rolls are tampered, media are controlled and ballots are traded, so much so that even our vote can’t effective voice our choice, all we feel is anger!

As the guardians of our children, we cannot accept the utterly flawed electoral system and processes. If the governments were not produced by clean and fair elections, how can they protect the future of our children?

We firmly believe, our generation must not leave this mess to the next generation. This is not fair to our children. Therefore, as mothers of our children, we must categorically state our stand: we support the electoral reform demanded in the BERSIH 3.0 sit-in, We have no patience to wait for another five or ten years. We don’t want to have any more phantom voters. We want clean and fair elections.

Therefore, we urge the Election Commission and the Najib Administration to promise the full implementation of BERSIH 2.0’s 8 demands before the next general elections:

1. Cleaning the electoral roll

2. Reforming postal ballots

3. Use of indelible ink

4. A Minimum Campaign period of 21 days

5. Free and fair access to media

6. Strengthening public institutions

7. Stopping corruption

8. Stopping dirty politics

We also urge the Najib Administration to invite International Election Observers to monitor our next general elections to ensure its credibility and the legitimacy of the next government. If even Burma dare to invite international election observers, why cant Malaysia?

Last but not least, we urge all Malaysian mothers to gather together at Dataran Merdeka or any other sit-in venue nationwide and worldwide to show in action our unwavering determination for electoral reform.

Mamas @ Bersih 3.0