Bersih 5 is scheduled to take place this Saturday, while the red-shirts have also organised a counter-rally on the same day.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin suggested that all roads designated as marching routes for the Bersih 5 rally should be closed so that the marches would not take place and warned that Umno Youth members participating could face disciplinary action by the party.

The UN Human Rights commissioner on the other hand has urged the Malaysian government to abide by international human rights obligations and to allow the Bersih 5 rally to proceed. But what is important to note is why Bersih is marching for the fifth time?

1. Apart from asking for a clean electoral roll and reform of the current postal ballot system;

2. Bersih advocates that the indelible ink must be used in all elections and a longer campaign period of not less than 21 days should be allowed which will enable candidates to disseminate information to rural arrears;

3. And to practice proportionate, fair and objective reporting.

While the campaign is to raise awareness and constitutional reforms the greater part of the struggle is to aggressively promote, propagate and encourage independent and impartiality in public institutions and to cultivate public confidence and to eliminate the disease of corruption which today has infected every aspect of Malaysian life and to end gutter politics.

Many Malaysians today feel angry and frustrated when criminal exposures, theft and corruption claims/allegations are deliberately and intentionally left unattended and this elements continue to feature prominently in the Malaysian political arena and as citizens we are grossly incapable of resolving. Instead, oppressive laws, travel restrictions and intimidation tactics are used to silence us.

As citizens we strongly feel there is a gross betrayal of trust and dereliction of public duty and scandals have escalated to a dangerous level thus effectively threatening and undermining our democratic process. Unless we are able to embrace a diversity of opinions as part of the process of developing a better Malaysia and protect participants in peaceful demonstrations from disruption, we fear the core foundations of our democratic society may collapse for good.

R KENGADHARAN is a lawyer and a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee.