Pix: The Malaysian InsiderPETALING JAYA: Electoral reforms movement Bersih 2.0 has collected over RM13,000 in donations from the public during its concert for clean and free elections at the Kelana Jaya stadium here last night.

Despite the rain, the concert which started at 4:30pm attracted a crowd of around 500 people, with most of them being Bersih supporters.

Bersih co-chair Datuk A Samad Said told the crowd that the funds collected will be used in its fight to ensure the government fulfills its eight demands for free and fair elections.

“We will not succeed without all your help,” the national laureate said last night.

The national laureate, also known as Pak Samad, hoped that the spirit to fight for Bersih’s eight demands will be sparked through the concert.

Bersih 2.0 had previously organised three mass rallies here to demand for clean and fair elections, with the third one Bersih 3.0 held this April.

The Bersih 8T concert, which ended around midnight yesterday, was held to express the movement’s disappointment as its eight demands have not been fully implemented by the government.

“It appears that the government is still unwilling to heed the voices of the people,” the group’s steering committee had wrote in a statement last month.

“The Bersih 2.0 eight demands and the 22 recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) report have yet to be fully implemented.

“Thus, Bersih 2.0 is organizing a fun-filled concert... aimed at reminding the Election Commission (EC) that the eight demands remain unfulfilled,” it said in the statement.

“Months after Bersih 3.0, the government only focuses on detaining those involved in the assembly, (and) not to clean the electoral roll.”

The federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat has also said it plans to hold a mass rally in Bukit Jalil stadium on November 3 to remind the government of the eight unfulfilled demands.

Bersih 2.0 had in August launched its RM1 fundraising campaign to help it raise some RM250,000 for the medical and legal expenses arising from its April 28 rally.

The coalition of over 82 non-governmental organizations had held its third rally for free and fair elections since 2007 on the streets of the capital on April 28, attracting tens of thousands to the city.

The “sit-in” protest, which was meant to be peaceful, however resulted in violence when protesters clashed with armed riot police after barricades surrounding the historic Merdeka Square were breached.

The police had erected the barricades and razor-wire fences to stop the group from using it for the rally.

Since the event, scores of reports have been lodged against the police, alleging brutality, while the government has had to fend off negative publicity for its alleged mishandling of the otherwise peaceful event.

Two legal suits have also been launched against Bersih 2.0 leaders, including one against 10 members for damages amounting to RM122,000 and another against co-chair Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan and Maria Chin Abdullah, demanding compensation of RM351,203.45.

There have also been news reports of Bersih 2.0 leaders being stopped by authorities in airports before they were allowed to fly out of the country.


- The Malaysian Insider