Citing ‘no-confidence’ vote, Fann steps down as Bersih chair

Thomas Fann has tendered his resignation as Bersih chairperson.

In a brief statement today, Fann said the reasons were detailed in a letter to the steering committee and endorsing NGOs of the electoral watchdog.

“To ensure a smooth transition of leadership until a new chairperson is elected, I will remain as the caretaker for two months or less and will not decide on any major financial and policy decisions for Bersih.

“I am committed to this smooth handover,” said Fann (above).

He said this also means he will not be taking any more interviews, answering any questions from the media in the chairperson capacity, or speaking for Bersih.

Fann took over as Bersih chairperson from Maria Chin Abdullah in October 2018.

Below is a copy of Fann’s resignation letter:

It has been 10 days since the end of polling for the Bersih steering committee election (2023-2025) and I have had time to reflect on the outcome of the results and what it means to me.

Though I won uncontested for another term as the chairperson of Bersih, it is clear to me that my leadership and efforts to evolve Bersih into a people's institution were rejected by the majority of the endorsing NGOs of Bersih.

In light of this reality, I hereby tender my resignation as chairperson of Bersih with a two-month notice. The results for the five contested positions of deputy chair, treasurer, and three committee member posts were won by all four candidates led by Wong Yan Ke, who stood against the team that I had put forward, except for one committee member post won by Aira Azhari who came in third.

The rejection of my team led by Ngeow Chow Ying (outgoing treasurer) by the majority of the NGOs in this actively contested election that saw a record 50 out of 60 endorsing NGOs participating (83.3 percent), was a clear message to me that my vision and direction for Bersih was rejected. It was a vote of no confidence.

From the official statements of the two teams that contested in this election, it was also clear that two visions of Bersih were offered. My team campaigned on continuity to evolve Bersih into a people's institution while Yan Ke and those who campaigned for him, pushed for a restoration of Bersih to its roots as a people's movement, presumably with organising protests as one of its main tools to connect with the grassroots, the people.

I see this as two opposing visions for Bersih, one proffered by the chairperson and the other by his deputy. While Yan Ke's team with four seats in the nine-member steering committee does not necessarily represent the majority of the steering committee, he does have the mandate of the majority of the endorsing NGOs who voted. As much as his team and those who helped secure their victory are committed to restoring Bersih as a people's movement, I am committed to evolving Bersih to become a people's institution.

Opposite directions

In good conscience, I cannot lead a divided steering committee that is pulling in opposite directions or defy the will of the majority of the endorsing NGOs. Neither could I go against my own conviction and lead Bersih in its attempt to become a people's movement again when I believe that Bersih's future is for it to be an institution that is actively and constructively contributing ideas and solutions to strengthen our parliamentary democracy.

While organising protest rallies has been Bersih's roots as a people's movement and is one of our fundamental rights as a democracy, it is just one of many channels to advocate for reforms. In a changed political environment post-GE14 after BN-Umno was toppled, other effective channels of engagement had opened up and Bersih under my leadership in the past five years had utilised those channels effectively and achieved impactful outcomes.

By definition, a people's movement can only thrive if there is a groundswell of support for an idea by a vast number of the population. For Bersih in its pre-GE14 years, that idea was regime change, even if it was not necessarily the intention of all the Bersih steering committee members then. The yearning by a vast segment for regime change was satisfied when BN was defeated and Pakatan Harapan won in 2018.

To many, the mission was accomplished. There was little interest in Bersih post-GE14, even among civil society actors. In my view, Bersih's viability as a people's movement ended on May 10, 2018, the next day after GE14. It could either "close shop", evolve into a political party (though that opportunity had long passed) or evolve into an advocacy institution to go beyond regime change and focus on changing the system.

A tool of history

You can only be a people's movement if there are people behind you. It is normal to lose your momentum or support because most people's movement don't last beyond a few years or sometimes even months. I harbour no illusion that Bersih's past successes as a people's movement were due to the efforts of the steering committee or the NGOs. Rather, it was because of the mass support we received to demand for change during that period.

We, Bersih, were just a tool of history, doing the right thing at the right season. That season is over and has been for a long time. I accept the outcome of the Bersih steering committee election (2023-2025), that most endorsing NGOs want to see Bersih as a people's movement and rally the masses again.

I will step aside and allow the formation of a united steering committee with the election of a new chairperson who champions this aspiration. It's only fair for Yan Ke and his team of young and veteran leaders committed to 'revitalising Bersih as a people's movement' to have a free hand to take Bersih in the direction they see fit in the next two years.

It has been the greatest honour of my life to have had this opportunity to serve as the chairperson of Bersih these past five years and the years before that since 2013 as part of the steering committee. Incidentally, today is the seventh anniversary of the Bersih 5 rally for which I was the commander when the then-chair Maria Chin was detained under Sosma on the eve of the rally.

For me, to serve in Bersih is to serve the interest of all segments of the Malaysian public regardless of their ethnicity, religion, region, or party affiliation. I have given my best and all. If I have fallen short in any way or have offended anyone, I do apologise. I want to express my deepest appreciation to the secretariat of Bersih without whom Bersih could not have attained any achievements.

Smooth transition

I have been privileged to have the dedicated and capable support of Yap Swee Seng (executive director, 2018-March 2022), Ngeow Chow Ying (acting executive director, March 2022-March 2023), and Ooi Kok Hin (executive director, since March 2023), Asraf Sharafi Mohamad Azhar (senior programme manager), Ahmad Salami, Lhavanya Dharmalingam, Dorina Esut, Raveena Kiran, Benjamin Lim, and many others.

This two-month notice is to facilitate a smooth transition of tasks and responsibilities to the new team and I am committed to this process. In the meantime, as the outgoing chairperson, I will be in caretaker mode, not making any major decisions or launching any new campaigns.

If the election of the new chairperson is completed earlier than two months, I will graciously take my exit then. My sincere and best wishes to the new steering committee and the soon-to-be- elected chairperson. I wish the best for Bersih under the new team, supported by the dedicated secretariat, for the next two years. In Bersih, we struggle for ideals, not power.

BOOK REVIEW | Common people make all the difference, author shows in new book

Bersih repeats demands for equal constituency funds, recall election

Facilitate, not hinder peaceful rallies - Bersih tells govt