SIX civil society organisations (CSOs) 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.
Bersih, C4 Centre, Ideas, Projek Sama, Pusat Komas and Transparency International Malaysia in a joint statement said they had attended the meeting to present proposals on institutional reform and not to endorse any political campaign.
"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," they said.
They stressed that institutional reform must not be hijacked for political purposes or used to create instability.
Even there is a change of government, they said the new administration may lack clarity or commitment to implement institutional reforms or may be too fragile to undertake a meaningful change.
The groups stressed that calls for reform would be meaningless without improvements to political stability and the broader political system.
The CSOs said comprehensive, robust reform can only come about with the support of all parties, whether they are in the government or the Opposition.
They said any administration that gains power through undemocratic means would lack the clarity or strength to implement reforms.
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.
"We will continue to remain on this path of demanding institutional reform, serving as an important bloc representing the people’s demands," they added.
The CSOs reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing institutional reform and said they would continue engaging with all political parties on the matter. – July 25, 2025
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