Your invitation to the BERSIH 2.0 launch

Technorati tags: Electoral Reform, Bersih, Bersih 2.0

Yeah, yeah it’s been too long a time since Walski last posted something. He won’t get into the nitty gritty details of why – suffice it to say that work priorities had to take precedence. And that there are just so many hours in a day. Being that behind the facade, Walski really is human, he needs his rest and downtime.

Be that as it may, don’t cheer yet – this is a sneaked-in post to tell y’all about something important. 

So here’s the deal: it’s the launch of Bersih 2.0, and Walski is taking this opportunity to post the invitation to the launch that he got via e-mail a couple of days ago. And he felt this obligation to tell y’all about it.

Then it’s back to more work after that. That’s just how the cookie crumbles... but if you’re interested, read the invitation and what you need to do to attend the launch…
(the invite to the launch of Bersih 2.0, in the full post)

INVITATION TO THE LAUNCH OF BERSIH 2.0
UNITE AND ADVANCE ELECTORAL REFORM

Salam. We, the BERSIH 2.0 steering committee, invite your organisation to join and unite with us to advance clean and fair elections in Malaysia. Much still needs to be done and Bersih 2.0 needs your support and help to make the mission come true for a democratic Malaysia.

BERSIH 2.0 believes that it is only when elections are clean and fair, can citizens determine their own destiny and expect holders of public office to act accountably and effectively. The road to electoral reform is part and parcel of the democratic process, including the rule of law, human rights protection, good governance and sustainable development in Malaysia. As citizens we can make this our reality.

The key issues of electoral reform include:

1. A complete revision of the electoral roll to ensure that the existing irregularities are removed and a roll with full integrity is in place.
2. The use of indelible ink (as is done in Indonesia and India) to prevent multiple voting.
3. The reform of postal voting to abolish the existing separate electoral roll for postal voters and to make it flexible for all voters, at home or abroad, with valid reasons to opt for postal voting.
4. Free and fair media access for all contesting parties, which should include: (a) free access to state-owned media especially television and radio; (b) fair paid access (political advertisement) to private media; and (c) provision of the right of reply for all contesting parties and personalities who are covered negatively in news reports.
5. A meaningful minimum campaign period of 21 days.
6. Fair and professional practices in constituency redelineation exercises to minimise malapportionment, gerrymandering and consequent disproportionality in seats and votes.
7. Automatic registration of all eligible voters.
8. Reduction of the voting eligibility age from 21 to 18 years old.
9. Reform in electoral financing to ensure transparency and limit the influence of money politics.
10. Administrative neutrality of all levels of governments before, during and after general and by-elections for the federal and state legislatures.
11. Affirming the right of all students of 18 years and above, to participate in politics inside and outside campus.

Bersih 2.0, whilst acknowledging the importance of the reform agenda of Bersih, is now relaunched as a fully non-partisan coalition of civil society groups. It is a movement of ordinary citizens asserting the right of all to clean and fair elections as guaranteed by law. We must ensure our votes and voices count.

The details of the launch are as follows:

Date: 10 November 2010 (Wednesday)
Time: 8.30 p.m. – 10.30 p.m.
Venue: PJ Civic Hall, Jalan Yong Shook Lin, Petaling Jaya.

Please bring your members and friends to the launch. You can contact Nurul at 03-77844977 for more information.

Yours sincerely,
Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan
Chairperson

So there - Walski trusts that you've been duly informed. He reckons that by "members" Datuk Ambiga is referring to members of one's organization. And not like your "kaki", because that would make 'friends' also mentioned kinda redundant.

Unfortunately, Walski may not be around to attend – likely off again on one of his journeys. Just like the one he’s on… He cannot, however, reveal much about where he is and what he’s doing, because it’s kind of clandestine and all.

Suffice it to say that it’s for a good cause…

Walski’s Non-Associative Disclaimer Footnote: While Walski is not a member of Bersih, he feels that this is a good civil society initiative and he supports it in ways other than joining – like talking about it when the opportunity arises. Central to any democratic system is free and fair elections – as far as Malaysia is concerned, there’s a lot of reform required…