Civil society movement Bersih 2.0 and Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas are winners of the esteemed Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) human rights award.

In making the announcement today, lead judge Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said the award was given in recognition of both the movements’ immense contribution in championing human rights and “their tireless efforts to prevail against harassment”.

Altogether four groups, including Kuala Lumpur Legal Aid and Seksualiti Merdeka, were in the running for the award which is in its 13th year.

Syed Ibrahim said the two movements were accorded the award this time after the judges had a considerably “hard time” deciding on the winners.

bersih rally petaling street 090711 The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (Bersih) had rallied for the second time on July 9 demanding electoral reforms following numerous accounts of voters frauds and corruption during elections.

Almost 50,000 members of the public had taken part in the rally, despite the authorities banning Bersih and prohibiting its material including everything yellow as well as declaring the rally “illegal”.

“The government's hard-line stand against Bersih 2.0 rally... was translated by the police through the use of teargas and water cannon against peaceful participants who sought refuge at the Tung Shin Hospital.

“Out of the 50,000 participants, 1,667 were arrested by the police (who were later in the day released),” stated a passage in the overview.

Accepting the award on behalf of the coalition was steering committee member Richard Yeoh.

“Bersih is a people’s movement, it happened because of the outpouring of unhappiness.

“I don't understand why electoral reform is such a problem in this country when it is a prerequisite in any democracy. Nevertheless, we will pursue on,” said Yeoh.

Fervent opposition against Lamp

As for environmental group, Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas, which was initiated in March after a New York Times article about authorisation given to an Australian mining company to construct a rare-earth refinery in Gebeng, Kuantan.

azlan The group representing their community have since maintained a fervent opposition against Lynas Corp’s Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp), which has a government mandate and is nearing completion, despite the resistance.

The rare earth refinery which is to manufacture high-technology products like hybrid cars, smartphones to bombs, is said to be 85 percent complete and touted to be the biggest in the world.

The group had organised various protest locally and internationally, including the Green Assembly on Oct 9 at dawn at Pantai Balok.

“They went on with it even after the police withdrew the permit to assemble. That showed courage,” said Syed Ibrahim when presenting the award to the group’s chair Tan Boo Teet.

“We were bullied, our rights trampled on but we didn’t stop... we have dared Lynas to bring their rare earth ore, it will be by over bodies,” said Tan.

Suaram’s full report on the state of human rights in the country will be published in full next year.