It has been 3 weeks after the Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur. Now, after all the dust had settled, let's review back what happen before, on and after that day.
The Bersih 2.0 rally (also called the Walk for Democracy) was a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur held on 9th July 2011 as a follow-up to the 2007 Bersih rally. The rally, organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), was supported by Pakatan Rakyat, the coalition of the three largest opposition parties in Malaysia, but was deemed illegal by the government.
Bersih, chaired by former president of the Bar Council Ambiga Sreenevasan, were pushing the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) to ensure free and fair elections in Malaysia. It demanded that the EC clean up the electoral roll, reform postal voting, use indelible ink, introduce a minimum 21-day campaign period, allow all parties free access to the media, and put an end to electoral fraud.
The police vowed to stop any rallies from taking place on the planned date on the grounds that all public gatherings without police permits are illegal. Having originally planned to march through the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Bersih decided to hold its rally at Merdeka Stadium after consultations with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Malaysia's head of state.
Supporters of Bersih claim that demands for electoral reform made during the 2007 demonstration fell on deaf ears. UMNO Youth and Perkasa planned counter-rallies, dismissing Bersih's demands for electoral reform, but Perkasa called off its counter-rally due to its inability to secure a venue and permit.
Estimates of the turnout ranged between 10,000 to over 20,000. The protestors were unable to congregate at Merdeka Stadium as many were forced to disperse by police who were heavily deployed throughout the city. Police arrested more than 1600 protestors, including Ambiga and several opposition figures
The 2011 rally's immediate demands were:
- Clean the electoral roll
- Reform postal voting
- Use of indelible ink
- A minimum campaign period of 21 days
- Free and fair access to mainstream media
- Strengthen public institutions
- Stop corruption
- Stop dirty politics
Kuala Lumpur was described as a "ghost town" on the morning of 9 July. Many offices and shops were closed as police maintained heavy presences in key areas. Crowds began pouring in by noon, where they were met by police who took "extraordinary" security measures, known as "Operation Erase Bersih."
Many were arrested and transported to the police training center (Pulapol). The protestors were arrested under Section 27 of the Police Act for planning to participate in illegal rallies, and face several years in prison if convicted.
Independent assessments put the rally numbers at between 10,000 to over 20,000, while Bersih claimed a turnout of 50,000.
Major gathering points included Menara Maybank, Jalan Pudu, and Puduraya where riot police confronted protesters Thousands tried to reach Merdeka Stadium from various parts of the city, chanting "Hidup rakyat!" ("Long live the people!").
Police responded by firing numerous rounds of tear gas and chemical-laced water, causing the crowds to disperse into nearby buildings.
At 14:00, Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat leaders began their march towards Merdeka Stadium. Shielded by hundreds of supporters, they pushed past three lines of police personnel awaiting them outside KL Sentral.
Around 14:30, while walking with supporters in Brickfields, Ambiga and fellow steering committe member Maria Chin Abdullah were arrested. Opposition politicians detained include Abdul Hadi Awang, Mohamad Sabu, Salahuddin Ayub, Mahfuz Omar, Dzulkefly Ahmad, Azmin Ali, Tian Chua, Fuziah Salleh, Sivarasa Rasiah, and Ngeh Koo Ham. Anwar Ibrahim said he sustained a bruise on his head and a cut leg while escaping when police fired tear gas. PAS MP Khalid Samad was said to have suffered a serious head injury and was admitted to hospital.
UMNO Youth's rally in Bukit Bintang was also stopped by police using tear gas. Its leader Khairy Jamaluddin was arrested.
Around 1,000 protestors eventually reached Merdeka Stadium, including national laureate A. Samad Said and PAS's Husam Musa. At around 16:00, the crowd voluntarily began dispersing. Another group of protestors tried to reach the National Palace, while a third group gathered at Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Park beneath the Petronas Twin Towers. Thousands eventually gathered at KLCC but were dispersed by police using tear gas and chemically-laced water.
By 18:40 in the evening, police had confirmed 1,667 arrests, including 167 females and minors. Most of the arrested protestors, including Ambiga, were freed by the end of the day.
One death was reported. Protestor Baharuddin Ahmad fell while running from tear gas fired by police. Police said he died of heart complications
