Bersih Germany’s journey through Bersih 5

Bersih Germany organized Bersih 5 gatherings in its five cities simultaneously on 19.11.2016 at 2 pm. Malaysians and individuals interested in the Bersih cause gathered in Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Munich and Stuttgart to show their solidarity with Bersih 5 gathering in Malaysia. Our Bersih 5 journey started earlier as Col     ogne decided to twin with Penang and we had our representative joining the activities in Penang before Bersih 5 gathering. In Penang, we showed our support by welcoming the Bersih convoy in Penang. We also took part in a flash mob…

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Bersih Los Angeles Shares Their Stories of Hope for A Better Malaysia

By Bersih Los Angeles Bersih Los Angeles had our Bersih event on November 19, 2016, 11:30am – 2pm local time. It was held at Vincent Lugo Park, San Gabriel, California. The weather was perfect, with some overcast and temperature was just right without the scorching sun. We were able to secure about 10 picnic tables in the public park for our participants to sit . The event was potluck-style gathering, so everyone brought some food or snacks to share with others. Participants arrived, signed in and consented to signing the…

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Bersih Kyoto in Solidarity with Bersih 5

By Kia Meng, Bersih Kyoto The Bersih 5 solidarity gathering in Kyoto, Japan, took place successfully at 1pm, on November 19th, 2016, coinciding with the main protest in Kuala Lumpur. The weather was much better than what was forecasted and we took the opportunity to take some really good group photos at Kamogawakoen by the iconic Kamogawa river at the heart of Kyoto. We had an attendance of 25 people, most Malaysians who were either studying or working in the Kansai region, as well as some Malaysians who were touring…

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Bersih Birmingham Braved Cold Weather to Stand in Solidarity with Bersih 5

By Lydia Chan, Bersih Birmingham On 19 Nov 2016, 2pm (GMT), despite the cold weather, about 50 Malaysians gathered at Pavilion, High St to show our support and stand in solidarity with Bersih 5 rally in Malaysia. Most of the participants were university students. Some Chinese and Malay families came with their kids to support us as well. Some of them brought along their own creative cardboards too. The event started late as the initial venue was occupied with German Christmas market. We then moved to another location. My friend…

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Rakyat Hidup!

The people don't know their true power...

by Charlotte Chin, Passau, Germany Bersih is a coalition consisting of several human-rights organizations and non-governmental organizations which are campaigning for the reformation of the electoral system and for good governance in Malaysia. The country has suffered under massive electoral misconduct and has been ruled by the same coalition (Barisan Nasional) since its independence in 1957. Malaysia is also becoming infamous for corruption. The latest scandal involves a Malaysian state investment fund called 1MDB (follow this link to receive further information). Several newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal has reported that huge sums of money from the…

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Aspirations For A Better Malaysia

by Charlotte Chin, Marburg, Germany   You might be wondering why a German woman is interested in the political situation in Malaysia. The answer is simple: My dad is Malaysian Chinese and my mum is German. I went to Malaysia to volunteer in an orphanage, and I got to know strangers who became good friends and are still an important part of my life. They introduced me to their cultures and religions, gave me home and shelter, and showed me the infinite beauty of life. Malaysia became home to me,…

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Near or Far, Malaysians at Heart

By Nalina Nair Many of us who live in Malaysia have the impression that Malaysians who chose to leave the country have no interest in our dear homeland. That these are the ones who have abandoned all hopes for a better Malaysia, who do not believe that we will ever achieve a Malaysian Malaysia. Many of us back home may hold this view due to the constant calls by individuals in the government for dissenting voices to leave the country and find a new home. While this may ring true…

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We Are The Leaders We Are Waiting For

By Mohan Ambikaipaker In the aftermath of the history-breaking Bersih 4 rally for democracyin Malaysia, there is a natural question that comes up: What now? Furthermore, deep inside us, sceptical thoughts may arise and peoplemay start to wonder what exactly will be the concrete outcomes: Will therallies lead to a no confidence vote on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razakin October? Will the rallies free Anwar Ibrahim and other politicalprisoners? Will the rallies save the ringgit from plunging further? Although these are interesting and important questions, I believe theyare secondary issues…

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WHY we need to continue the struggle?

by Charlotte Chin, Marburg, Germany When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes a duty – Thomas Jefferson The Bersih 4.0 demonstration was an overnight rally which took place on 29 and 30 August in Kuala Lumpur (spread across five locations: Sogo, Pasar Seni KL, Dataran Maybank, Brickfields and Masjid Negara), Kuching (Padang Merdeka) and Kota Kinabalu (Tanjung Lipat). GlobaBersih organised Bersih demonstrations in many cities across the world. The rally was organized by “The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections” or simply Bersih (a Malay word meaning clean). A coalition of…

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‘Breaking’ some M’sian law at Bersih 4 in NZ

by Joshua Tan Chong Hui I believed that I had ‘broken’ some Malaysian law in New Zealand, and it was outlawed for an ordinary citizen like me to wear anything concerning Bersih 4. On the contrary, I had worn the shirt, the badges as well as the headband on Aug 29, 2015 when attending the Bersih 4 rally in Wellington. Initially, I was less enthusiastic to this rally, mainly because of my concern that this rally was too closely tied with the urging for Najib Abdul Razak’s resignation. This rally’s…

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