Six NGOs reject claim they back Opposition's anti-Anwar rally

New Straits Times

5 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Six civil society organisations have distanced themselves from tomorrow's planned "Turun Anwar" protest, saying a recent meeting with Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin was unrelated to any political rally.
In a joint statement today, Bersih, the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Projek Sama, Pusat Komas, and Transparency International Malaysia clarified that their meeting with Hamzah on July 1 was solely to discuss institutional reforms.
They said the engagement was part of their regular advocacy efforts and should not be interpreted as support for any political movement.
"On this basis, we reject any mid-term change of government through the back door, such as the Sheraton Move that threw the country's politics into disarray in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Even if there is a change of government, the new administration may lack clarity or commitment to implement institutional reforms, or may be too fragile to undertake any meaningful change," they said in the joint statement.
The organisations issued the statement to clarify concerns over their meeting with the Opposition leader, which was cited during a recent press conference in Parliament as implied support for tomorrow's protest.
While affirming their support for the right to peaceful assembly, the groups stressed that calls for reform would be meaningless without improvements to political stability and the broader political system.
"We firmly believe the country needs comprehensive, strong, and meaningful institutional reforms for society to move forward with a more just and improved political system."
They added that all parties — both in government and in the opposition — must uphold a genuine reform agenda.
They also called on the opposition to fulfil its responsibility as a check-and-balance force in Parliament.
"The opposition is duty-bound to the rakyat to serve as a check and balance for the betterment of the nation.
"Malaysia has so much to offer internationally, and this can only happen if we uphold the values of human rights, good governance, and accountability."
They reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing institutional reform and said they would continue engaging with all political parties on the matter.
"Our position is crucial as a check-and-balance mechanism for the reform agenda of any political coalition."