Repeal Sedition Act, not preserve it with Facebook knock-off, critics tell Putrajaya

By Ida LimAugust 31, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Putrajaya should abolish the Sedition Act 1948 instead of entertaining “escapisms” such as a local Facebook alternative to curb seditious content, according to critics of the colonial-era law.

Variously describing the law as antiquated, regressive and abusive, they noted that the problem was the Act itself rather than how to restrict Malaysian discourse to fall within its confines.

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said Tan Sri Rais Yatim’s proposal on Friday for Malaysia to emulate China by creating a local Facebook replacement to control sedition painted the former information minister as “old fashioned, totally irrelevant in this Internet age”.

“A new Facebook like China is not only expensive, it doesn't serve the purpose. It's not foolproof. It's not effective. The more effective way to prevent sedition is to repeal the Act,” the former de facto law minister told Malay Mail Online yesterday.

The Sedition Act should no longer be used against Malaysians who are “loyal” citizens in a free country, he said, adding that sedition is only a “big issue” for the government because it cannot accept criticism.

National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) member Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah described the suggestion as “an escapism from not being able to be in sync with new realities and an effort against the repealing of the Sedition Act.”

“Democracy is no longer about voting every five years, but people want to have a role in decision-making in all aspects and levels,” the former deputy minister explained. “China is not a good example. Unless we believe in less democracy.”

Saifuddin said it was “pointless to replace Facebook” as new technologies will continue to emerge, adding that Putrajaya should “encourage debates” to widen the public sphere and end “the culture of fear”.

The Sedition Act should also be replaced with better laws such as NUCC’s proposed Harmony bills, he said.

Civil liberties lawyer Syahredzan Johan questioned if Rais’ suggestion was intended to help Putrajaya regain its control and monopoly on information that it once had before the advent of the Internet and social media.

“If they shut down Facebook, it is censorship, then the MSC Bill of Guarantees where one of the guarantees is non-censorship of Internet will just be an empty guarantee,” he said.

He also said the word “sedition” is being abused by Putrajaya to “restrict freedom of expression, freedom of speech”.

“If you look at sedition under the Act, it is so wide. When they say ‘sedition’, what they mean is ‘we want to stop people from saying things we don’t like,” said the chairman of the Bar Council’s National Young Lawyers Committee spearheading the #MansuhAktaHasutan (Abolish Sedition Act) campaign.

Another civil liberties lawyer, Eric Paulsen, said Rais’ suggestion was “without merit because Malaysia instead of going backwards should be moving forward towards more openness, transparency and flow of information”.

“If Malaysia were to take such a drastic and backward step, it would cause Malaysia to be left far behind while other emerging nations would leapfrog Malaysia’s progress,” the co-founder of Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said.

Rais, who is now the Social and Cultural Affairs Advisor to the Government, said yesterday that he had submitted his proposal to the Attorney-General, urging for his idea to be studied immediately.

Earlier this month, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek reportedly said Putrajaya has no intention of shutting down Facebook, saying it was an “impossible” move as Malaysia has some 15 million users.

The government was forced yesterday to deny that the recent spate of sedition investigations and prosecutions were selectively targeted, insisting that it did not control the judiciary while reiterating its commitment to abolish the law.

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/repeal-sedition-act-not-preserve-it-with-facebook-knock-off-critics-tell-pu

On Merdeka wish list, watchdog wants Putrajaya to scrap Sedition Act

Published: 31 August 2014

A human rights watchdog is urging Putrajaya to honour Malaysia’s independence by removing the Sedition Act, which it says is a legacy from the British colonial era.

The Society for the Promotion of Human Rights Malaysia (Proham) chairman Datuk Kuthbul Zaman said the Sedition Act 1948 was used by the colonial administration to stifle the activities of independent fighters.

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should keep his promise and repeal the Sedition Act as it is outdated," he said in a statement today.

He said Najib had already abolished the Internal Security Act 1960 and the Emergency Ordnance 1969.

"The Sedition Act has been recently used frequently to stifle the freedom of speech and it is a violation of democratic principles.

"This is weakening the foundations of human rights in Malaysia. There is a strong suspicion that the Sedition Act is being used against opposition MPs."

Kuthbul said constructive discussions would provide a deeper commitment to the principles of the Federal Constitution.

"Just because an individual raises a question or thought does not mean that the core theme such as religion, language, special position and monarchy will be dismantled."

Kuthbul warned that legitimate questions and criticism on politicians and political parties should not be deemed seditious.

"This is part of the democratic and political process and these leaders must use the public space to convince the general public.

"Holding leaders accountable is part and parcel of holding public office in a democracy."

Last week saw a number of opposition lawmakers charged under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act, which provides for a jail term of up to three years or RM5,000 fine or both.

They are: PKR vice-presidents Rafizi Ramli and N. Surendran, Shah Alam MP and PAS central committee member Khalid Samad, and DAP Seri Delima assemblyman R. S. N. Rayer.

DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and PKR Batu MP Tian Chua are also facing trial for sedition, while former Perak MP and Changkat Jering assemblyman Nizar Jamaluddin was charged with criminal defamation for a statement he had allegedly made two years ago.

Critics are calling the move an attempt by Putrajaya to silence its political foes. – August 31, 2014.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/in-merdeka-wishlist-watchdog-wants-putrajaya-to-scrap-sedition-act

Dr Mahathir’s criticism not about Umno, but Putrajaya

Published: 30 August 2014

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER

Datuk Seri Najib Razak is dead wrong. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's stinging criticism against him two weeks ago and withdrawal of support for the prime minister is not an Umno matter, in the same way that corruption and vote-buying by Umno senior officials is not some quaint concept called money politics that should be dealt in-house.

The former prime minister's laundry list of complaints against Najib goes right to the core of governance of a country.

It has nothing to do with whether young talent is being allowed to flourish in feudal Umno, or whether the divisions have been conducting their annual meetings as required.

Dr Mahathir's criticism goes right to the heart of being a leader of Malaysia. In his view, the prime minister is weak, servile and blind to issues in the heart of most Malaysians.

For example, he says that Najib's manner of dishing out cash payments under the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) scheme only provides temporary relief but creates a dangerous culture of entitlement.

And, Dr Mahathir also points out that race and religious relations are at dangerous levels in Malaysia, and blames Najib's policies and inaction for this desperate state of affairs.

There is some irony here as Dr Mahathir is the patron of the Malay rights group Perkasa, which mushroomed after the 2008 elections and now flourishes with provocative racial rants under the Najib administration.

Then, there is the famous complaint about the administration allegedly being in the servitude of foreign governments and being prepared to sign a trade agreement not favourable to Malaysia.

These are serious allegations as they involve the well-being of the country, not a political party.

So, it is best the PM disabuse himself of this notion that the Dr Mahathir attack is some Umno matter. Malaysia is not Umno and Umno is not Malaysia.

Just saying, "We view this as an internal party matter and it will be dealt with accordingly and in the best possible way", will not take the sting out of Dr Mahathir's comments.

Najib and his government will have to address each point openly and not sweep it under the carpet as an internal party matter. After all, Dr Mahathir founded this new Umno, and knows better whether his criticism is about the party or the government.

This is not about Umno, or Dr Mahathir would have just quit the party again. This is about Malaysia. – August 30, 2014.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dr-ms-criticism-not-about-umno-but-putrajaya

Discontent with Putrajaya bubbles to surface in May Day rally

May 1, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — Thousands gathered in Malaysia’s capital today to protest against a planned new tax, but they also took shots at the government’s prosecution of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and handling of missing flight MH370.

The demonstration was held to coincide with International Labour Day, and the primary target of the red-clad, vuvuzela-blowing protesters was the goods and services tax (GST) taking effect in April 2015.

The opposition has denounced the GST and recent subsidy cuts as moves by the long-ruling regime to shift the cost of reducing a rising deficit onto ordinary consumers.

But protestors used the occasion to let loose with other criticisms of the government, which is under global scrutiny over its still-unexplained loss of the Malaysia Airlines jet.

“Besides the rise in living costs, we are here to voice our frustration over the search for MH370,” said Amani Nasir, 26, a medical student who joined the protest in central Kuala Lumpur.

“There is a lack of transparency and very little information is provided. We want to know the cost involved in the search so far, since it is taxpayers’ money.”

The Boeing 777 vanished on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and is now believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean, where a challenging and costly Australian-led search effort has failed to find any wreckage.

The government has been tight-lipped about its investigation into what happened, adding to the anger and frustration of relatives of the 239 people aboard the plane.

The government was due today to release a preliminary report on its investigation into the plane’s disappearance.

Anti-GST protesters gathering at Jalan Pinang before converging at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, May 1, 2014. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Rally participants also denounced a court ruling in March that convicted Anwar of sodomy — illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia — and sentenced him to five years in jail.

Anwar calls the ruling an attempt by the government to end his political career. He is free pending appeal.

Opposition politicians speaking at the rally denounced the case and called on demonstrators to rise up if Anwar is jailed.

“I want to tell the PM, don’t you dare touch Anwar. The people will not allow Anwar to be jailed for even one second,” top opposition politician Azmin Ali told the crowd, estimated by local media at around 20,000-strong.

Civil society groups have staged large-scale rallies in Kuala Lumpur in recent years, venting growing public discontent with the government dominated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

No violent incidents were reported so far in today’s rally.

Umno has presided over decades of economic growth, but as growth slows voters have increasingly flocked to the opposition amid anger over persistent corruption, authoritarian tactics, and Umno’s divisive racial politics.

Inflation remains relatively mild in Malaysia but has risen, from 2.1 per cent for all of last year to 3.4 per cent in the first three months of 2014 after the government cut some subsidies to rein in the spiralling budget deficit. — AFP

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/discontent-with-putrajaya-bubbles-to-surface-in-may-day-rally-video

安华：困难重重也不放弃，入主布城路如唐僧取经

2013-02-16 18:05

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  公正党领袖在该党醒狮团的助阵下，向华社拜年，其中安华和卡立手中所持对联分別为“华社旺盛全赖两线制＂及“万家兴旺唯望公正党＂；右一为蔡添强。 （图：星洲日报）

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（吉隆坡16日讯）国会反对党领袖拿督斯里安华，今日以中国四大名著之一的《西游记》做比喻，指民联入主布城的过程，就如唐僧带领徒弟前往西天取经般，面临种种考验，但最终会取得成功。

他表示，唐僧（唐三藏）在取经的过程中，面对种种困难和挑战，但从不气馁和放弃，也不会动摇，因为唐僧知道甚么是真理，同理民联也不会放弃。

“我们知道生活很困难，为了真理和公义，会有很多考验，期间有坏人出现，有人威胁烧圣经、有人被捕、汽油起价、物价涨等等，但我们不会动摇，这是《西游记》给民联的一个讯息。＂

坐牢时阅读《西游记》

也是公正党顾问的安华今日在公正党敦拉萨镇区部举办的新春大团拜上，以自问自答的方式说，本身是在坐牢6年的时候，阅读《西游记》，並认为故事情节很像民联今日的斗爭。

此外，他在约半小时的演讲中，也多番揶揄国阵和马华，並以去年巫统大会结束后，所有中央代表眼闪泪光高唱一首歌曲“玩火小孩＂（Anak Kecil Main Api）为例，批评马华代表不明就里，也跟著鼓掌赞好，实际上这是一首充满种族性的歌曲。

“歌曲最后一句是｀所踩土地別人所属’，意思说马来人的土地被华人、印度人拥有，马华为甚么要呼应？实际上，我认为歌曲应该改编为｀所踩土地，朋党所属’。＂

由於桌椅不足，数以千计的民眾大部份是站著聆听安华的演讲。

他表示，华人及印度人等友族已在这片土地上生活数十年，但如今还有巫统领袖质疑为何他们能获得公民权。

“这是令人无法接受的事情，来届大选是改朝换代的时候。＂

“雪选民仍支持我＂
卡立：胜算60%

雪州大臣兼敦拉萨镇国会议员丹斯里卡立强调，马华在年初一於敦拉萨镇所举行的新村团拜出席人数多，並不代表选民支持马华，他很有信心，各族选民会在来届大选继续支持他。

“出席马华新春团拜者，有些不是来自敦拉萨镇，是巴士载来的。

“2008年选举时，我以为机会是50对50，但选民选了我，如今我认为胜算是60%。＂

来源：http://news.sinchew.com.my/node/278366?tid=1

行动党代表大会：“力爭400万中间选民＂，林冠英吁民联上下加把劲

2012-12-15 19:12

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  约3千500名行动党代表、党员及观察员出席代表大会。（图：星洲日报）

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（檳城15日讯）民主行动党秘书长林冠英呼吁民联成员党领导人、党员及支持者，在来届大选把焦点放在爭取国內400万名中间选民手中的一票，同时坚守民联三党合议通过的共同议程。

他说，民联必须贏得290万首投族及另110万游离选民的支持，若民联无法获得这总共400万名中间选民的支持，民联就无法组织新的民联中央政府。

他今日在檳州召开的第十六届民主行动党全国代表大会发表政策演词说，这次的大会，不只是决定行动党接下来3年的方向与新领导层，但更重要的是第十三届全国大选將在未来百日之內举行，行动党全国的代表在此齐聚一堂，共同思索马来西亚的前路。

重塑大马需要勇气

林冠英说，行动党希望能够获得大马人民委托，在与公正党、伊斯兰党合组联盟政府內负起责任，兑现民联在共同政策纲领及橙皮书內所列出的议程。

他强调，民联的任务不仅是打败国阵、打败种族主义、极端主义的巫统、不道德且操守败坏的马华、没有勇气捍卫自身信仰的民政党、以及毫无方向的国大党，更重要的任务是民主化马来西亚政治体系，让经济秩序惠及马来西亚平民。

他说：“下一届大选无关政党的命运，而是国家的命运；无关领袖输贏，而是关乎你们，你们是否有勇气改变，重塑马来西亚，重新开始，把马来人、达雅人、印度人、伊班人以及华人都串连起来、男男女女、年长与青年，共同打造一个繁荣富足大家共享的未来。＂

对友党忠诚盼获认同
行动党爭取更多议席

林冠英也说，行动党已证明是伊斯兰党及公正党真正可靠的伙伴，因而希望对友党的忠诚可以获得友党的认同，让民主行动党在来届大选竞选更多议席。

“我们希望可以（来届大选）在大马半岛竞选多3个议席及10个州议席；沙、砂则由州自主决定议席谈判结果。＂

林冠英在结束演词前，带领全体出席者高呼7声的“改变！＂（Ubah）大会议长是林峰成、副议长是杨薇讳。

民联面对三重挑战
若失败大马將停滯不前

林冠英点出民联眼前面对的三重挑战，並指若任何一项挑战失败，都意味马来西亚若不是退步，也至少停滯不前：

第一：在敌对阵营不断企图拆散民联的情况下让民联维持完好无损。

第二：取得下届大选胜利。

第三：当民联成功拿下中央政权时，打造一个新的马来西亚。

为非穆斯林討公道
伊党应取消理髮罚单

林冠英说，行动党希望所有为非穆斯林男性理髮而发给女理髮师的罚单可以取消，以证明伊斯兰党能够確保非穆斯林的正义与公道。

他说，这也可避免国阵利用此课题进行挑拨。

他说，2010年在怡保召开的行动党全国代表会议，他提出並討论了“中道马来西亚＂概念。

“时值旨在分裂民联的右翼组织挑起｀阿拉’一词是否能为非穆斯林所用的爭议的顛峰时刻。我非常欣慰看到民联过后不止生存下来，甚至继续成长。＂

他说，现在马华企图透过所谓的非婚內性行为案件，指控伊斯兰党欲將伊斯兰法实施在非穆斯林身上，但整起案件根本子虚乌有。

“当马华把伊斯兰教与贪污、贫穷连结在一起污蔑该宗教时，行动党挺身捍卫伊斯兰教，行动党捍卫吉兰丹州务大臣聂阿兹，驳斥马华污蔑他鼓励穆斯林男性强暴非穆斯林女性的荒谬言论。＂

林冠英也提到檳州政府把伊斯兰事务拨款提高300%时，檳州国阵主席邓章耀公然指责州政府將会展开进一步伊斯兰化，但却无视这项举措是出於需求，且必须归咎於前朝政府怠忽职守的缘故。

正视大马政治中间盘

“当邓章耀允许马华质问州政府基於需求徵收华裔土地建造坟场时，为何他却不会被標签违反伊斯兰教？＂

林冠英强调，行动党绝对不会像国阵那么极端，因为行动党必须正视我国政治里只有一个中间盘，这个中间盘至关重要，中道马来西亚將会决定哪一个政治联盟成为下一届政府。

“为了拥抱中道马来西亚，民联必须是中庸、包容，敬排他、种族主义及极端分子而远之。＂

坚守《沙亚南宣言》
捍卫君主立宪制

林冠英也重申坚守早前通过的《沙亚南宣言》，以宣示民主行动党的立场与承诺：

（1）捍卫议会民主制度及国家元首为国家及宪制元首的君主立宪体制；同时坚守《联邦宪法》为最高法典，並且是以《1957年独立宪法》及《1963年马来西亚协议》的精神遵行。

（2）保留马来人及土著的特別地位，与此同时，如《联邦宪法》153条文所阐明，保护其他族群的权利。

（3）捍卫伊斯兰教为联邦宗教的同时，也依《联邦宪法》3及11条文所阐明，坚持在和平及和谐的情况下奉行宗教自由原则。

（4）如《联邦宪法》152条文阐明，尊马来语为国语，但鼓励使用、学习英语及其他母语，以创造一个语言多样的社会。

（5）认可《1963年马来西亚协议》中的平等伙伴精神，並捍卫沙巴及砂拉越人民的权利。

有望增加行动党议席
东马代表举足轻重

东马代表飘洋过海到檳州出席大会，还带来了卡达山语的竞选主题曲，林冠英直言：下届大选东马在增加行动党的议席上扮演重要角色。

因此，他提醒及预祝砂、沙党员在来届大选“改朝换代＂。

林冠英说，行动党在沙巴拥有相当数量的卡达山、杜顺及姆鲁社群党员，並对沙巴党员包括原住民女性党员在內的素质与年轻化，留下深刻印象。

“与此同时，我们在砂拉越州也有许多新进党员，包括达雅族。我有信心，我们可以在目前已经拿下的州议席区域內增加两个国会议席，包括拿下所有砂拉越城市选区，並且至少在来届全国大选把一名达雅人代表送进国会。＂

改变之风在柔刮起

林冠英也说，他每一次探访柔佛州，都可以感受到改变之风已在柔佛州刮起。

“我非常有信心，我们一定可以在来届大选（在柔佛）取得比2008年1国4州更好的成绩。

“我也欣慰看到玻璃市州委会在郑成泉领导下正式成立。虽然玻璃市是个小州，但民联若要拿下玻璃市，民主行动党就必须扮演重要角色。＂

林冠英也恭喜行动党妇女组上週举行了首次全国代表大会，並有信心妇女组在章瑛领导的新领导层下茁壮成长。

由张聒祥领导的社青团新领导层，也一定可以启发更多年轻人站出来往高处挑战。

“国阵为选战不择手段”
民联执政中央更崎嶇

林冠英坦言，民联迈向布城的道路只会更加崎嶇难行，因为国阵与巫统將会不择手段，確保他们可以透过谎言、恐惧与恐嚇贏得这场马来西亚史上最脏的选举。

他说，至今首相纳吉依然拒绝承诺一旦民联贏得选举，国阵將会和平转移政权。

无论如何，林冠英说，时间到了，就是这一次，就让我们所有人相信改变的力量，假设我们敢於创造55年歷史上的第一次，你们每一位都是了不起的人物。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/271796?tid=1

Anwar Ibrahim's moment of truth looms

Malaysia's most controversial politician wants to become prime minister – but to achieve that he will have to unseat a party that has ruled for 60 years, writes Kate Hodal

• Kate Hodal in Kuala Lumpur
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 11 July 2012 02.07 BST

Anwar Ibrahim with supporters after being cleared of sodomy charges in January 2012. Photograph: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters

He is the man many Malaysians love to hate. Once considered his nation's political tour de force, Anwar Ibrahim has spent the greater part of the past two decades in jail, wrapped up in court proceedings and enduring what he calls a long-standing smear campaign – from being labelled a chauvinist and Zionist to facing accusations that he is homosexual, guilty of sodomy and anti-Muslim.

Now Anwar is fighting his last fight: to be Malaysia's next prime minister, a battle for which he has been preparing for a very long time. 

At speeches and rallies Anwar is vibrant, compelling, persuasive. In person he is slight, ageing and soft-spoken, sipping black tea with honey as he outlines why his opposition alliance expects to usurp the prime minister, Najib Razak, and the incumbent Barisan Nasional (National Front), which has governed Malaysia for nearly 60 years.

"The mood is there, the mood for change," Anwar says from his office at the multi-storeyed headquarters of his People's Justice party in central Kuala Lumpur. "I'm very optimistic that we will wrest control and make major inroads."

Anwar has long been a contender to rule Malaysia but his political career has suffered vertiginous highs and lows. The spectacular ascent that saw him grace the cover of Newsweek as Asian of the Year and become the heir apparent of then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was met with an equally spectacular crash in 1998, when the two fell out and Anwar was imprisoned for six years on corruption and sodomy charges, claims he repeatedly dismissed as politically motivated.

Times have not been easy since his release in 2004. Despite leading an opposition coalition to a famous result in the 2008 general election, when it stole one-third of the parliamentary seats and five states from the National Front, Anwar soon found himself facing new sodomy charges, accusations that were only dismissed this January due to lack of evidence. 

But his movement is full of hope. Elections are expected to be called any time in the next nine months, and even those who do not openly back Anwar often support what he stands for: relief from an autocratic and out-of-touch government they say has ruled Malaysia for too long. In April many tens of thousands of Malaysians took to the nation's streets to demand electoral reform at rallies organised by Bersih, an opposition-backed coalition of civil-society groups whose name means "clean" in Malay.
 
According to political columnist Art Harun, Bersih has thrown "a massive spanner in the [government] works" as increasingly informed activists point to numerous corruption scandals and police brutality as proof that government reform is necessary. But when it comes to voting they will have to contend with a determined ruling party that has been accused of playing dirty to win. "The electoral roll is our Achilles' heel and their way of winning," sighs opposition MP and Anwar's 31-year-old daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar, herself a participant in April's rally. "Before it was just small instances … Now we've unearthed a whole pool of data." She claims that in her constituency alone she has 10,000 voters who suddenly 'appeared' on electoral lists.

Anwar's greatest task will be proving that he can actually instigate the change Malaysians have long been calling for, says Malaysia expert Bridget Welsh of Singapore Management University. "Four months after Bersih there are two important issues: the management of the economy and who can manage the economy best, and who can offer more options in democratic governance," she says. "The third aspect is whether this election will be free and fair ... so what we have is a situation where the integrity of the [electoral] process is as important as the process itself." 

Matters are complicated by new charges that Anwar faces of opposing a court order at the Bersih rally. If convicted he would not be able to stand for office in the next election. He denies the allegations.

If elected Anwar knows that his will be a tricky balancing act in a nation that sells itself as "Moderate Malaysia", where even his own opposition alliance spans his People's Justice party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic party and the ethnic Chinese Democratic Action party.
 
"We have discussed economic policies, social policies and religious positions, and we have come to agreements," he says of his own alliance. "But there's a big, huge internal battle" – he strikes every word with his finger on his desk – "among the [wider] Malaysian community between the fanatics and the extremists to petition broader, more liberal tolerance. We call ourselves liberals … [but] we must put in check, not through brute force, but through active and vibrant intellectual discourse, these [extremist] aberrations."

Voters may be hoping for change at the next general election but they know they can't expect it. "What we want to see is a multi-party democracy where, every two or three years, the [leading] party will change," explains Bersih leader Ambiga Sreenavasan. "We're not averse to Barisan coming back but if parties think they're going to lose power, they behave a lot better. [This] is about power coming back to the people. It's about us being in charge."

If Anwar is unsuccessful in what is very likely his last bid at the prime ministership, many of those on the ground expect his daughter to one day carry the torch. Young, articulate and popular, Nurul Izzah personifies all of her father's promise, without, perhaps, the residual baggage. "I think she'll be the first woman prime minister of this country," says Ambiga. "I've said it so many times, I hope it comes true."

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/11/anwar-ibrahim-moment-truth-looms?INTCMP=SRCH