The protest and intimidation in front of the house of Bersih co-chairman S Ambiga is something that Malaysians should condemn.

It also reflects on a troubling trend in Malaysian politics where intimidation and harassment that borders on tit for tat becomes a norm that is tolerated by the state.

The question is who are this people, what are their motives, who are directing their behavior, and what are the consequences from this actions?

If a one day Bersih demonstration could cause an irrational daily tit for tat response, what would happen if the ruling coalition losses power?

Will it cede power peacefully?

In any country that has elements of authoritarianism, there are deep state actors within the ruling establishment that safeguard the interest of entrenched political elites.

While the prime minister and his cabinet ministers from formal state of governance pursues the middle ground in politics to reach out to well informed citizens, the ultimate hands that would protect the ruling coalition when faced with great adversity, are the actors of the deep state.

These actors especially the business elites, provide the decisive financial support that gives the ruling coalition the edge over its opponents.

The evidence of the involvement of the actors of the deep state is clear when the prominent leaders from Umno with the exception of Khairy Jamaluddin and Tengku Adnan, have not condemned the action of this people.

The question is if a one day Bersih demonstration could cause such a hated response what if BN loses power? Would there be greater chaos?

Reforms pursued by the government would not bear much fruit if the actors of the deep state are insecure or believe that their powers are slowly diminishing.

The protagonist of the deep state are Umno right wing ideologues, religous elites, entrenched businessmen, Perkasa, elites in the Attorney-General's Office, police, and army, who have great influence on the ministers of the formal state, and their survival has been link to the continuous rule of the BN.

The ideological framework of this groups revolves around issues on race and religion.

These groups in comparison to Bersih are greatest threat to the security of the nation, than demonstrators that cry for free and fair elections.

Why is this so? The reason is that these actors are immune from prosecution and the police who have been very proactive and reactive in investigating the Bersih rally seems to be slow or disinterested to arrest this influential culprits of the deep state who are directing the protest against the Bersih chairperson.

They are not only invading the privacy of a Malaysian citizen, but creating precedence where intimidation rules when a party is faced with adversity.