KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — The Bersih Congress today approved 19 out of 20 motions tabled, urging the government to fulfil its promises of institutional reforms and enhance governance.
Each motion, many of which align with issues the electoral watchdog has long championed, was passed via voice vote after participants debated its direction and purpose.
The single motion that was voted down was to have the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans incorporated into the Central Database Hub (Padu), as it was not in line with the reform agenda highlighted.
Bersih chairman Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz said that the event this year managed to mobilise great support, particularly among youths.
“We are very fortunate to receive a lot of support from young people. Very encouraging and that tallies with our agenda when we launched this event.
“It is a key start for us to go to campuses to share aspirations with the students in universities. Not to teach them but to share the same concern and we want them to voice out what their concerns are so we can reactivate them, we can work together to ask for reform in campuses and so on,” he said.
Faisal says he looks forward to a better future for civil societies, especially Bersih, in its pursuit of improved democracy and better governance.
On taking to the streets again, Faisal said that all initiative the Bersih is undertaking presently is heading towards Bersih’s sixth rally.
“If the reform agenda is not in place, we try to be ready, as ready as we can, to mobilise people to keep the momentum and to pile the pressure on the government,” he added.
On Bersih becoming a political party, Faisal said that Bersih will not go down that path, despite a push from the general public.
He said that Bersih will remain as a social movement and a pressure group as its ultimate aim to have reform agenda implemented.
