During one Bersih march, a former inspector-general of police (IGP) alleged that the communists were involved in toppling the government. Hanif Omar claimed that whilst viewing footage of the Bersih 3 rally in 2012, he had recognised the faces of communists whom he remembered from three decades ago. That fell flat.

Last year in Bersih 4, the race card was used to stop Malaysians uniting under the Bersih banner for clean, free and fair elections. The trilogy of ‘Chinese, Christians and communists’ was again deployed to stop the Bersih rallies and to prevent Malays from taking part. Again, it failed.

The race card failed in 2015, and this year, religion has taken centre stage. The Islamic Development Department Malaysia’s (Jakim) sermon last Friday spread the message that “joining street marches will open Malays/Muslims to religious and extremist ideology”.

Jakim is the authority which prepares the script for the Friday sermons and distributes it throughout the nation. This latest act shows the depths of desperation of our authorities.

In the run-up to Christmas, it should be Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer which appears; instead, Jamal Md Yunos, the red-nosed red-shirt leader, takes the leading role. Christmas brings good tidings, but the only things which Jamal and his red-shirts can deliver are fear and violence.

Punched in the nose during a fracas with plainclothes policemen, Jamal was initially heard shouting “Polis tumbuk saya” (the police punched me). He later told reporters that an opposition supporter had punched him, and at a police station claimed a Bersih supporter had hurt him.

How can anyone believe a man who cannot get his story straight?

The people with the most to lose in the Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19 have been largely silent. They are the members of the cabinet, the cronies and the leaders of the various institutions.

As the red-shirts go on the rampage, threatening bloodshed, declaring an all-out-war on Bersih, and promising to “cincang” (chop-up) the people who made Jamal look like a fool, one would have thought that a responsible prime minister would have advised all the parties to be calm.

Of course, Najib wil not caution Jamal. The game is one of power and survival. Jamal needs Najib for his survival, just as Najib needs Jamal to prolong his power.

Federal police director of Internal Security and Public Order Muhammad Sabtu Osman warned the Bersih organisers that they had not satisfied all the conditions stipulated in the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

He warned the public to stay away from the march, for their own safety and said “... there are many other channels through which to convey their demands. Why the need to cause disarray in the country?”

Where has Sabtu been for the past 40 years? Corruption is wrecking this nation, cheating at elections is rife and Sabtu tells Malaysians to complain using the proper channels. The only reason Bersih 5 was called was because these channels were not open for negotiation.

Why is Sabtu using threats against a largely peaceful rakyat, warning them that he may deploy water cannons and tear gas?

Why does he not arrest the ringleader and troublemaker, Jamal Md Yunos? If Jamal were allowed to chill out in a cell, his followers would probably disperse as their head has been neutralised.