With less than a week to go for Parliament to reconvene in a session that will see the creation of a parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform, Bersih 2.0 is in overdrive to get its message out and hopes to engage with the PSC.

bersih general election demand launch 300911 ambiga 03 Speaking at the launch the of the coalition's latest campaign to push for the implementation of its electoral reform demands before the 13th General Election, its chief Ambiga Sreenevasan ( left ) said if the PSC was "sincere" then it should engage with Bersih 2.0.

"There seem to be an impression that because the (Home) Minister (Hishammuddin Hussein) has declared us to be illegal, they cannot deal with us, that is what the Election Comission has said. But if they PSC is sincere, I think they should talk to us.

"We are doing the work, we will be ready, we have all the facts, figures and arguments and we are ready to meet and discuss with the PSC and we hope to have the chance."

bersih general election demand launch 300911 06 The campaign, entitled 'Implement the eight demands before GE-13' was officiated at an event attended by some 300 supporters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

It comes after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak refused to guarantee that proposals of the mooted PSC on electoral reform will be implemented before the next polls.

War drums beat again

After the electoral reform group's successful July 9 rally that saw tens of thousand of people descending upon Kuala Lumpur, demanding clean and fair elections, the movement is once again beating its war drums - literally.

bersih general election demand launch 300911 05 Led by Ambiga, supporters, many of whom were clad in the banned Bersih 2.0 T-shirts chanted "clean before GE13" as the campaign was officiated to the throb of beating of drums.

Ambiga shied away from speculating whether the movement will take to the streets again if it the government fails to meet its demands, stating that she believed in the PSC's "good faith".

"If they fulfill all of our demands, then there will be no need for a Bersih anymore."

Bersih demands to go nationwide

For now, the coalition focus will be on roadshows to pile pressure on the government to make good on its Aug 15 promise of reforming the electoral system to allay any suspicion of vote-rigging in the coming general election.

bersih general election demand launch 300911 04 Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah reminded the government of the guidelines prepared by the coalition for the PSC which calls for a report based on its eight demands by March next year.

"It is important that we step up the pressure on the government. The people's message is clear, fulfill the eight demands before the next general election."

Chin added that similar campaigns will be cover Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak and will be expanded to other states until the end of this year.

bersih general election demand launch 300911 03 The government had outlawed Bersih 2.0 , declaring it illegal in an attempt to thwart its landmark July 9 rally but the group's success led the government to announce the setting up of a PSC to look into electoral reforms.

Bersih 2.0, which was recently allowed by the courts to challenge the government for outlawing it, argues that the electoral system is too flawed for the next general election to be called and that the reform must come first.