COMMENT By now, the tactics of self-declared opponents of the Bersih 2.0 march are clear: Perkasa and Umno Youth want to ratchet up the pre-march tensions such that the atmosphere becomes taut enough to crack.

If it does, it would not be difficult to guess who would be blamed for the ensuing clashes.

Seldom in recent history has a looming public event such as the Bersih march on July 9 polarised opinion so sharply: one would be hard put to encounter a public issues-aware citizen who does not have an opinion - either for or against - on the march.

Thanks to provocative statements by Perkasa's Ibrahim Ali and the reported threats by some Umno Youth firebrands to burn the PKR headquarters down, the stage is set for a confrontation.

Of course, things need not be that way...