Students abroad threw support for Bersih

Malaysian students abroad sent two clear messages to the BN government: Don't intimidate us, and patriotism is not the preserve of BN.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of masked students, bearing the Jalur Gemilang, mocked the Malaysian government’s warning not to risk their scholarships when they turned up to suport Bersih 3.0 cause in London earlier today.



They were among hundreds of other students and Malaysians abroad in 35 countries around the world who threw their support behind Bersih’s rally for electoral reforms.

The message they sent out was clear: Don’t intimidate us; and patriotism is not the preserve of the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Mocking a recent harsh e-mail warning to all students studying overseas on Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships, these students, along with hundreds of other Malaysians, stood outside the Malaysian Embassy in Belgrave Square in a show of support for their marching comrades in Kuala Lumpur.

The Bersih 3.0 rally here yesterday recorded a massive 100,000 turnout. Initially a peaceful assembly of a sea of people, it eventually ended up making the top news in foreign media as police fired chemical-laced water cannons and tear gas at the crowd.

But there was no tear gas in Belgrade Square and neither was there any indication that the Malaysian Embassy officials were in.

In fact, the embassy had pulled down all the shutters and also taken down the Jalur Gemilang, but the crowd was unfazed.

Almost 1,000 Malaysians and their friends armed with umbrella and raincoats, braved the rain and risked their scholarhsips being terminated. to openly defy a regime that had ordered them on April 26 via e-mail to stay away from “any activities that are detrimental to the stakes of the government”.

Memorandum to Britain

The group shouted familiar chants deploring the corruption, vote rigging and gerrymandering that have kept BN in power for over 50 years and sang songs to keep spirits high.

Among those in the group was Malaysian Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter lham, who is a student in London.

Meanwhile, the British Foreign Office was handed a memorandum by the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suaram), London branch.

The letter detailed its frustrations over the recent visit by British Prime Minister David Cameron to Malaysia, which was seen as a pat-on-the-back for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s regime.

The key dissatisfaction was Britain’s response to the repealing of the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).
The letter explained that Najib had instead put in place an even more effective instrument against democratic political opposition and freedom of expression.

According to Sarawak Report, the letter also “pointed out that within days of the departure of the British premier, new provisions had been raced through Parliament to make it easier than ever for officials to rig the elections unmonitored and unhindered”.

In SYDNEY, hundreds of Bersih supporters clad in yellow T-shirts came out to gather at Martin Place yesterday.

Simlar rallies were also held in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Hobart.
The Sydney rally organisers, who were mainly Malaysian students, said they were overwhelmed by the support from Malaysians, their friends and supporters.

Bersih gets worldwide support

Said Global Bersih co-ordinator David Teoh: “It’s so heart-warming to see so many Malaysians turn up, not only in Australia, but all over the world.

“We are all sending a very clear message to the Election Commission to resign.

“They are Umno members… how can they not resign?”

Students also gathered in Auckland (New Zealand), Hong Kong, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Jordan, South Korea and China.

In all these locations, protesters were armed with placards and posters in support of Bersih’s call for reforms.

Also scheduled today are gatherings in the United States, Canada and Russia and Europe.