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    July 05, 2011

Malaysian Political Rally in Doubt After King Agrees to Meeting

   Brian Padden | Jakarta
   King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin with Queen Nur Zahirah (File)
   King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin with Queen Nur Zahirah (File)

   The king of Malaysia agreed to meet Tuesday with organizers of a major
   election reform movement, in a move that could help defuse political
   tensions that have been mounting following the arrests of more than 200
   political activists in recent weeks. The king issued a statement asking
   both sides to settle their differences through negotiations and
   organizers say if a compromise can be reached, they may cancel the
   rally.
   Constitutional monarch, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, will meet with
   leaders of Bersih, an electoral reform coalition that includes members
   of political opposition parties, to try to prevent a confrontation
   between the group and police.
   Bersih has planned a July 11 rally to call for voting reforms and equal
   access to news media for opposition candidates ahead of national
   elections expected next year. The government refused to grant the group
   a demonstration permit and has already arrested more than 200 hundred
   activists. Some have been detained under an emergency ordinance law
   that allows them to be held for 60 days without charge.
   On Sunday the king issued a statement asking both sides to settle their
   differences through negotiations. The king's power in Malaysia's
   parliament system of government is mostly symbolic. Andrew Khoo, a
   member of Bersih's steering committee, says the king does have the
   power to persuade both sides to compromise.
   'To a certain extent we would not want to disrespect what his majesty
   the king has stated in his statement," Khoo said. "So we will try to
   find a compromise perhaps that would on the one hand address his
   concerns, but at the same time still take into consideration the eight
   demands that we have put forward about the need to reform the electoral
   process in Malaysia.'
   He says Bersih will not present the king a list of demands and would
   most likely cancel the rally if the King asks them. He also said he
   hopes the government will demonstrate compromise by considering their
   reform proposals and releasing the arrested activists.
   The government of Malaysia has been controlled by one political party,
   the United Malays National Organization since independence in 1957.
   The last time Bersih, formally known as the Coalition for Clean and
   Fair Elections, held a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur in 2007, tens of
   thousands of people turned out. The authorities responded by using
   water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds. A few months later,
   the ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority in Malaysia's
   parliament for the first time in decades.
   James Chin, a professor of political science at Monash University in
   Kuala Lumpur says, if UMNO did not have control of the news media, the
   electoral commission and the government in 2008, its election losses
   would have been much worse.
   'Many people, such as myself think, that although elections are held
   regularly, the elections are not run in the transparent or free
   manner," Chin said. "So for example in every election the government
   use the government machinery to support its campaign. And many people
   think that, if there is a free and fair election in Malaysia, the
   opposition would probably have taken power in 2008.'
   New elections are required under Malaysian law. by early 2013.
   Professor Chin says Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak would likely
   be forced to resign if UMNO does not regain its two-thirds majority in
   parliament in the next election.

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