As a result, Malaysians have benefited tremendously from the vibrant competition between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. As Pakatan Rakyat advocates \u201cKetuanan Rakyat\u201d and values like competence, accountability and transparency, Barisan Nasional under Prime Minister Najib Razak has responded with his \u201c1Malaysia\u201d campaign and \u201cGovernment Transformation Programme\u201d. In brief, Malaysians are enjoying the bonus of democratisation.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the budding democratisation is also threatened by some politicians from both sides of the divide who refuse to accept \u201cdemocracy as the only game in town\u201d and try to subvert or undermine the voters\u2019 verdict through some or all of these four unscrupulous means: (a) defection and change of government without fresh elections; (b) politically-motivated investigation, prosecution, harassment and detention of opposition leaders, civil society activists, journalists and bloggers; (c) discrimination in development funding against opposition-run state governments and opposition-won constituencies; (d) media campaign to play up ethno-religious sentiments and to delegitimize the opposition.<\/p>\n
These undemocratic acts disrupt our public life and threaten political stability. The latest defection and quitting of PKR lawmakers are both a betrayal to their voters and an assault to Malaysia\u2019s party system. Malaysia would be in total chaos and may witness coups if popular mandate can be ignored and violated at whim.<\/p>\n
On the 2nd anniversary of March 8 election, we the undersigned civil society groups call upon all political parties to respect the voters\u2019 verdict and demand for competitive politics made on March 8 2008. We urge them to promise the following six basic reforms in their present or future capacity as federal and state governments.<\/p>\n
1. That Article 48(6) of the Federal Constitution and similar provisions in state constitutions be amended to allow elected representatives resign and re-contest when they disagree with their party.<\/p>\n
2. That \u201crecall elections\u201d be introduced so that voters may sack elected representatives who underperform or betray their mandate.<\/p>\n
3. That the Federal Government respects the spirit of federalism and treat all state governments and members of parliament without discrimination regardless of party affiliation in term of grants, subsidies, royalties, allowance, support etc.<\/p>\n
4. That State Governments treat all state assemblypersons without discrimination regardless of party affiliation in term of allowance and support;<\/p>\n
5. That the Federal Government and the state governments amend the Federal Constitution and all the related laws to facilitate the conduct of local governments elections so that all parties may have the opportunity to win representation in local governments.<\/p>\n
6. That all anti-human rights legislations be repealed and all politically-motivated investigation and prosecution be stopped immediately.<\/p>\n
We also call upon all Malaysians to pursue these demands with both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. We call upon all eligible Malaysians who have not registered as voters to do so immediately.<\/p>\n
We must defend the fruit of March 8 and defeat all attempts to roll back the democratisation process. Come next elections, let us cast our votes based on the coalitions\u2019 fulfilment of or commitments to these demands.<\/p>\n
Let us reclaim our country and make democracy the only game in town.<\/p>\n
Endorsing Civil Society Groups:<\/strong> As a result, Malaysians have benefited tremendously from the vibrant competition between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. As Pakatan Rakyat advocates \u201cKetuanan Rakyat\u201d and values like competence, accountability and transparency, Barisan Nasional under Prime Minister Najib Razak has responded with his \u201c1Malaysia\u201d campaign and \u201cGovernment Transformation Programme\u201d. In brief, Malaysians are enjoying the bonus of democratisation. Unfortunately, the budding democratisation is also threatened by some politicians from both sides of the divide who refuse to accept \u201cdemocracy as the only game in town\u201d and try to subvert or undermine the voters\u2019 verdict through some or all of these four unscrupulous means: (a) defection and change of government without fresh elections; (b) politically-motivated investigation, prosecution, harassment and detention of opposition leaders, civil society activists, journalists and bloggers; (c) discrimination in development funding against opposition-run state governments and opposition-won constituencies; (d) media campaign to play up ethno-religious sentiments and to delegitimize the […]\n","protected":false},"author":671,"featured_media":15601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[182,260,180,164,261],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-civil-rights-committee","category-joint-statements","category-committee","category-statements-announcements","category-statement-of-civil-rights-committee"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/wp-content\/uploads\/default2_features_Image.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18685"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/671"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18685"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18686,"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18685\/revisions\/18686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klscah.org.my\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n1. Academy of Tamil Studies
\n2. Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran)
\n3. All Women\u2019s Action Society (AWAM)
\n4. Astronomical Research Society of Selangor
\n5. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
\n6. Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI)
\n7. Centre of Education. Research and Development (CEDAR)
\n8. Child Development Initiative
\n9. Civil Right Committee, Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC-KLSCAH)
\n10. Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI @ Parliament)
\n11. Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM)
\n12. Council of Temples Malaysia
\n13. Editorial Board of Horizon E-journal
\n14. Education and Research Association of Consumer, Malaysia
\n15. Federation of Indian Non-Governmental Organisations
\n16. Friends in Conversation (FIC)
\n17. Gabungan Pertubuhan-pertubuhan Masyarakat India Selangor
\n18. Gerakan Maju Mahasiswa UPM (GMM UPM)
\n19. Global Tamil Forum Malaysian Chapter
\n20. Group of Concerned Citizens
\n21. Indian Builders Association of Malaysia
\n22. Indian Malaysian Active Generation (IMAGE)
\n23. Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)
\n24. Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
\n25. Johor Tamizhar Sangam
\n26. Kelab Bell Belia Selangor
\n27. Klang Consumer Association
\n28. Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Youth Section
\n29. Kuala Lumpur Hindu Youth Organisation (KLHYO)
\n30. Kuala Lumpur Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
\n31. LLG Cultural Development Centre Bhd (LLG)
\n32. Majlis Kelab Bell Belia Tamil Malaysia
\n33. Malaysia Arulneri Thirukootam
\n34. Malaysia Hindu Associates of Graduates
\n35. Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram
\n36. Malaysia Indian Progressive Educational Society
\n37. Malaysia Lekshmi Pooja Meditation Society
\n38. Malaysia Tamil Artiste Association
\n39. Malaysia Tamil Neri Kalagam
\n40. Malaysia Thanavasiya Association
\n41. Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement (DEMA)
\n42. Malaysian Association of Indian University Graduates
\n43. Malaysian Dravidian Association
\n44. Malaysian Indian Business Association
\n45. Malaysian Indian Development & Unity Association
\n46. Malaysian Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
\n47. Malaysian Indian Historical Association
\n48. Malaysian Indian Youth Development Foundation
\n49. MalaysianVoters Union (MALVU)
\n50. Nationwide Human Development And Research Centre
\n51. Penang Du Zhong Education Society
\n52. Penang Hindu Saba
\n53. Penang Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
\n54. Penang Watch
\n55. Penggerak Belia Zon 23 MPSJ
\n56. Persahabatan Semparuthi
\n57. Persatuan Alumni Han Chiang Pulau Pinang
\n58. Persatuan Alumni PBT USM Selangor
\n59. Persatuan Aruloli Mandram, Malaysia
\n60. Persatuan kebajikan Artis-artis (T) Perak
\n61. Persatuan Kebajikan Dan Sosial Kamakshi Wilayah Utara
\n62. Persatuan Kebajikan Masyarakat dan Sosial Kaum India
\n63. Persatuan Kebajikan MGR
\n64. Persatuan Kebajikan Namakkal Malaysia
\n65. Persatuan Kelab Bell Belia Johor Bahru
\n66. Persatuan Kemajuan Pendidikan Malaysia
\n67. Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower)
\n68. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
\n69. Persatuan Meditasi Malaysia (Dhyana Ashram)
\n70. Persatuan Penduduk Taman Muhibbah
\n71. Persatuan Prihatin Belia Malaysia
\n72. Persatuan Sangkara Malaysia
\n73. Persatuan Seni kebudayaan Thamil, Pulau Pinang
\n74. Persatuan Silambam Malaysia
\n75. Persatuan Vallalaar Anbu Nilayam
\n76. Pusat KOMAS (KOMAS)
\n77. Research for Social Advancement (REFSA)
\n78. Rudra Devi Samaj Malaysia
\n79. Saiva Sivaneri Mandram Malaysia
\n80. Sarawak Central Region Friendship Association
\n81. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
\n82. Selangor Indian Entrepreneurs and Professionals
\n83. Serdang Bharu School Alumni Youth Section
\n84. Seremban Tamilar Sangam
\n85. Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM)
\n86. SOS (Save ourselves), Penang
\n87. Student Progressive Front NEC (SPF NEC)
\n88. Student Progressive Front USM (SPF USM)
\n89. Student Progressive Front UUM (SPF UUM)
\n90. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
\n91. Tenaganita
\n92. The Micah Mandate (TMM)
\n93. The New Millennium Indian Business Association of Malaysia
\n94. Thiruvalluvar Nanneri Mayam Cameron Highlands
\n95. Thiruvarul Thavaneri Mandram Malaysia
\n96. Wanita Berdaya Harapan Negara (WIRDA)
\n97. Workers Organisation of Malaysia (WO)
\n98. World Tamil Federation \u2013 Malaysian Chapter
\n99. Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
\n100. Yayasan Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan Pendidikan Tamil Malaysia (Tamil Foundation)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"