COMMENT Years ago, the managing director of the now defunct Union Carbide (Malaysia) told us, “Americans are very pragmatic people. Over a dispute, a particular division of Company A may sue Company B for millions of dollars, but when a window of business opportunities arises, both companies may sign an agreement to work together while the legal battle is still on.”

This is what exactly what objectivity in business and in politics should be. Parties can fight over any issues in the Parliament, but the moment they come out, they should be open enough to have a cup of teh tarik together.

After all, Parliament is the place for people can show their ability to debate on issues. It is the circus where human beings behave based on their animal instincts, but fortunately enough, we are nowhere near that of the Taiwanese parliament where chairs are being hurled at each other.

Be objective

Therefore, for Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan to suggest that government-linked companies (GLCs) should boycott businesses supporting the Bersih movement, he makes himself to appear to be injudicious.

This is nothing but what he thinks is a strategy. On Day 1, he mentioned only companies that funded Bersih activities. On Day 2, he stressed that GLCs will also cut off law firms that support Bersih.

Let it be. Let the GLCs appoint lawyers such as the ones currently managing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s legal affairs, who could make statements like, “we are still waiting for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) to confirm if they will be invoking immunity under the United States' Speech Act before they decide on pursuing defamation charges against the daily in Malaysia.”

No wonder Malaysia has become a laughing stock to the world.

By doing this, he hopes to discourage Bersih supporters from extending their services and funds to provide for Bersih. In the first place, Rahman proves himself to be a big fool by thinking that commercial organisations are the ones behind the Bersih movement.

So what if the CEO gives RM5 to the Bersih funds? Does it make the whole organisation responsible for the CEO’s show of support? What about the Barisan Nasional supporters working within the company? This is absolute madness.

In fact, Rahman Dahlan is absolutely wrong in making such threats against businesses and law firms.

It is individuals who make up the majority of Bersih supporters. It is the RM1 or RM10 that we donated to Bersih that helped to prop up the funds. If Rahman wants to boycott us, let it be. We will show him that, for the next five elections, we will vote against Umno.