After weeks of rumblings and uncertainties the street protests against the government took off despite some sabre rattling from groups who oppose the rally yesterday.
While the Bersih 4 can continue until 11.50 tonight, there are five things we learn from it even before ends.
1. Sarawakians are not as passionate about the issues that led to Bersih 4 as our fight for the fulfillment of the Malaysia Agreement, greater autonomy and equal development with Peninsular Malaysia.
Although Bersih 4 lives up to its hype with the massive rally in Kuala Lumpur here in Kuching only an estimated four thousand people braved the hot sun to gather at the Song Kheng Hai Ground which is not even half the number of those who turned up spontaneously for the S4S rally.
2. Despite the large number of protesters in Kuala Lumpur Bersih 4 is not Malaysia’s ‘Arab Spring’. The frustration of the people over the many unanswered issues pertaining to 1MDB is nothing compared to the years of pent-up anger of the Arabs.
What took place in the Bersih 4 rallies is kindergarten stuff compared to the violence and deaths in the protests that swept through the Middle East during the Arab Spring.
Our nation has not deteriorated to the level of chaos and abuse of power in the countries affected by the Arab spring – things are bad but we still have time and means to put them right without bloodshed and war.
3. Bersih 4 is not a racial confrontation despite efforts by some quarters trying to paint it as a Chinese threat against Malay political dominance.
Although the majority taking part in the rallies could be Chinese because they are held in city centres there are enough Malays and other races taking part to put paid to the idea that the protests are confined to a single race.
4. While it cannot be denied that the opposition is using Bersih 4 as a platform to gain political mileage the organisers have been at pains to show it as a people’s protest which cuts across the political divide.
Their efforts were boosted by the presence of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir among the crowd.
5. Whatever troubles besetting the nation which set off these protests must be addressed more seriously as they showed the people’s frustration over downward slide of the ringgit and rising cost of living which resulted from them is boiling over.
Depending on which side of the fence you are standing Bersih 4 can be viewed as an exercise of the people’s democratic right or an illegal attempt to bring down a democratically elected government.
Whatever your perspective of Bersih 4 maybe let us all be thankful that it has been a peaceful protest especially here in Sarawak where the gathering at the Song Kheng Hai Ground looked more like a public picnic that a street rally.