A modern representative democracy is a system of government where its citizens elect parliamentarians through free and fair elections to represent them in decision-making. These decisions are subject to the rule of law, which applies equally to all citizens, in the protection of their human rights. In addition, democracy also involves the active participation of all its citizens in politics and civil life.

Malaysia was born as a representative democracy. However, within the past years, and more so in the past few months, it is becoming increasingly obvious that all semblance of democracy is faltering. The past general election has neither been free nor fair, with widespread gerrymandering and malapportionment, and a mainstream media wholly owned by governmental parties that provided no air-time for opposition views.

The opposition leader himself, Anwar Ibrahim, has been incarcerated on flimsy charges that most impartial observers regard as politically motivated. Numerous civil society leaders and opposition members have been charged with sedition while inflammatory racist remarks have gone unchallenged. Institutions such as the legislative and judiciary that were to have provided checks and balances on the power of the executive have been compromised.

Lately, Najib Abdul Razak, the Malaysian prime minister, has consistently refused to answer to the people on how RM2.6 billion could have made its way into his personal bank account; official investigations into this matter have been stymied or stalled.

The Malaysian ringgit is at a 17-year low against the US dollar, due to low commodity prices and a lack of faith in the Barisan Nasional government’s non-transparent, economic mismanagement as evident in the 1MDB fiasco. Apart from the falling ringgit, the people have been hit by a Goods and Services Tax (GST) that taxes them on basic necessities at a time when they can ill-afford to shoulder this extra burden.

A perfect storm is fast approaching. Our Malaysian ship is being commandeered into the rocks. It is now time for patriotic Malaysian citizens to actively participate to salvage democracy in the nation that we love before it is too late.

The forthcoming Bersih 4 rallies in Malaysia will provide a unique and timely opportunity to citizens like you and me to voice our concerns to our government that it is time for change. The Global Bersih rallies in at least 38 other cities worldwide will also provide opportunity to the Malaysian diaspora and its friends to show support and solidarity with the Malaysian people at their time of need.

Do not let this historic opportunity slip by because the future of your children, and your children’s children, lie in your hands. Join me, and thousands of other Malaysian patriots, in Bersih 4. Stand up and be counted.

Do you hear the people sing?