After Bersih, Umno Youth urges Pakatan co-operation for electoral reform

After Bersih, Umno Youth urges Pakatan co-operation for electoral reform - Two weeks after the Bersih rally UMNO Youth Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is called to urge cooperation in electoral reforms, says there are similarities in the changes in both coalitions want to see in the current electoral system.

Datuk Zaki Zahid, the Putrajaya UMNO Youth's chief, declared before an audience last night during a public dialogue with PKR's Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad that UMNO also wanted to make sure that electoral reforms are carried out properly, but stressed that it is through public dialogues could be done, and debate and not through "demonstrations.

"" UMNO Youth will also be deleted on the electoral roll ... We agree that the system within the Election Commission (EC) are to be relooked, but all this can be done without street protests.

"We have a lot in common ... Let us work together, we are actually in the same direction," he said yesterday evening.

Nik Nazmi, PKR responds Head of Communications and stresses that electoral reform group Bersih not intend to "overthrow" of the present administration Najib had, as they only wanted electoral reforms are implemented.

The Seri Setia assembler calculates that Bersih the government and the EC had approached "many times" before 9 July, but no pro-active efforts have been made to eliminate Bersih.

"I think that's why Bersih took to the streets to keep the political pressure for reform of the electoral system," he said.

Nik Nazmi added that the government's actions - with the police to Bersih Bersih supporters and media censorship-related stories arrest - does not give Barisan Nasional (BN) is a very inspiring image locally and internationally.

"A strong government is a government that is not afraid of democracy.

"I think that's the concern here, where you have two teams on the field, but there is no level playing field, and you doubt the referee (impartiality)," he said.

This led Zaki reacts in the same way, saying that UMNO is no fear of competition in a free and fair elections.

"UMNO has never been afraid of the elections and we can the results of the election with grace and an open heart to accept," he said.

Both Zaki Nik Nazmi and agreed that more public forums and dialogues were necessary to the social gap between votes and those that reduce support Bersih demands.

The ruling BN coalition has been put on the defensive about the Bersih rally for the past week, when the international community, from Singapore to Britain, criticized the government's handling of public dissent.

Bersih estimated that 50,000 people showed up on 9 July rally for free and fair elections despite efforts to prevent it from place, while the police have said there are only 6,000.

The protest turned chaotic when police used tear gas and water cannon on thousands of demonstrators in nearly 1,700 arrests, scores injured and the death of ex-soldier Baharuddin Ahmad, 59

The government has promised to investigate allegations of police brutality, while the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will hold its own public inquiry into police conduct during the rally.

Source : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/after-bersih-umno-youth-urges-pakatan-co-operation-for-electoral-reform