BERSIH 3.0: An Independent Probe would satisfy Young Voters

May 5, 2012

 (05-04-12) @http://www.thestar.com.my

An independent probe into the incidents of assault at the BERSIH 3.0 rally would satisfy young voters who feel their protest for a fraud-free elections had been hijacked by professional politicians who have a different agenda.

THE Home Affairs Ministry decision on Wednesday to probe into incidents of assault at the BERSIH 3.0 rally on April 28 is right and appropriate as it would help to ease the anger and disgust among protesters, many of whom were first timers.

Policemen had allegedly assaulted over a dozen newsmen and press photographers while over a dozen cops also landed in hospital after suffering attacks and assaults by protesters who breached the barricade around Dataran Merdeka.

All these actions by different groups against each other and against public property need to be probed by an independent inquiry. At the same time, the Police need to take action against their men who were involved in the alleged assaults of media personnel and protesters.

Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar have both promised a thorough investigation without any cover-ups.

“We want transparency. We want justice and everything will be done in accordance with the rule of law,” Hishammuddin said. In addition, Ismail took time off to mend fences with the media.

He apologised to Malay Mail cameraman Arif Kartono, telling him that in the chaos that followed the breach of the barricades, the Police could not differentiate between demonstrators and the media.

To be fair to the Police, in today’s world of digital cameras and instant posting on Facebook and Internet, the lines between press people and protesters have blurred to the extent news organisations covering mass protest events have to rethink on sending out their people.

They (the media reps) should be clearly dressed and marked out as press people to distinguish them from protesters, many of whom also wear media paraphernalia and carry sophisticated cameras and video equipment.

The term journalist-on-the-job is loosening up and should now include bloggers, freelancers and others accredited with political parties and NGOs. But for the many first timers at the rally, an independent probe is welcome because they had gone for a sit-in protest, not to be fired at with tear gas and chemical-laced water.

It was not an illegal assembly as it was allowed under the newly-passed Peaceful Assembly Bill and had the support of all political factions. The Government, which did not see it as a security threat, had offered the organisers three stadiums for their gathering.

But BERSIH3.0 chairman Datuk S. Ambiga wanted the crowd to be as near as possible to Dataran Merdeka and the young people heeded her call. Some gave stems of flowers to the FRU personnel.

The camaraderie, however, did not last long. A section of the crowd, instead of dispersing as Ambiga had requested, proceeded to remove the barricades and push into Dataran Merdeka.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was seen making a hand gesture to Deputy PKR President Azmin Ali, who then allegedly signaled to another man to remove the barriers. Chaos followed and the Police reacted with water cannons.

The hardened political elements, who are either trained in crowd psychology or aware of tipping-point events, had hijacked a protest that the people thought was their own.

The independent panel which the Police have promised comes at a crucial time with World Press Freedom Day yesterday but the question that has surfaced is, who will be on the panel? And, how independent will it be?

Only a truly independent and professional probe would satisfy the young people, who feel their protest was for a legitimate cause fraud-free elections. But this had been hijacked by professional politicians who have a different agenda a sustained Middle East-style mass action that has not been seen since the reformasi protest that broke out in 1998 following Anwar’s arrest and detention under the former Internal Security Act.

The Police have arrested one man a PKR state leader and more arrests are expected as they gather evidence from numerous video clips. The clips show people throwing things at each other, at Police cars, smashing, kicking and attacking fallen Policemen, smashing windscreens and jumping on top of vehicles.

A truly independent investigation by an unbiased panel must be acceptable to the general public, especially to the young Malaysians who had faced their baptism of fire.