Bersih 2.0 rally

Bersih 2.0 rally
Bersih 2.0 rally
	Bersih 2.0 logo
Date	9 July 2011
Location	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Goals	To call for free and fair elections in Malaysia.
Status	Concluded
Parties
Bersih; Pakatan Rakyat	United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Youth Wing
Lead figures
	Ambiga Sreenevasan; A. Samad Said
Number
10,000 to over 20,000; (50,000 claimed by Bersih,; 6,000 claimed by police)	500
Casualties and losses
1 death (Heart attack)

The Bersih 2.0 rally (also called the Walk for Democracy) was a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur held on 9 July 2011 as a follow-up to the 2007 Bersih rally. The rally, organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), was supported by Pakatan Rakyat, the coalition of the three largest opposition parties in Malaysia, but was deemed illegal by the government. Bersih, chaired by former president of the Bar Council Ambiga Sreenevasan, were pushing the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) to ensure free and fair elections in Malaysia. It demanded that the EC clean up the electoral roll, reform postal voting, use indelible ink, introduce a minimum 21-day campaign period, allow all parties free access to the media, and put an end to electoral fraud.

The police vowed to stop any rallies from taking place on the planned date on the grounds that all public gatherings without police permits are illegal. Having originally planned to march through the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Bersih decided to hold its rally at Merdeka Stadium after consultations with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Malaysia's head of state.

Supporters of Bersih claim that demands for electoral reform made during the 2007 demonstration fell on deaf ears. UMNO Youth and Perkasa planned counter-rallies, dismissing Bersih's demands for electoral reform, but Perkasa called off its counter-rally due to its inability to secure a venue and permit.

Estimates of the turnout ranged between 10,000 and over 20,000. The protesters were unable to congregate at Merdeka Stadium as many were forced to disperse by police who were heavily deployed throughout the city. Police arrested more than 1600 protesters, including Ambiga and several opposition figures.

^ Cite error: The named reference roughneen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference guardian3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference WSJlift was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Flitton, Daniel (11 July 2011). "Anwar tells of riot squad ambush". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
^ Lee, Regina (9 July 2011). "Umno Youth's Patriot rally fizzles out in the rain". Malaysiakini. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.

[roughneen-1] Cite error: The named reference roughneen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[guardian3-2] Cite error: The named reference guardian3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[WSJlift-3] Cite error: The named reference WSJlift was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[SMHambush-4] Flitton, Daniel (11 July 2011). "Anwar tells of riot squad ambush". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.

[fizzles-5] Lee, Regina (9 July 2011). "Umno Youth's Patriot rally fizzles out in the rain". Malaysiakini. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.

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