Our rallies not a ‘black mark’ on nation’s history, says Bersih

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YOURSAY | Tuanku, not all public protests can be equated with riot

Gerard Lourdesamy: Not all public protests can be equated with riots. If that were the case, the famous Salt March by Mahatma Gandhi could also be regarded as a riot that would cause chaos and destruction, albeit, to the British colonial masters!

Freedom of peaceful assembly is enshrined in Part II of the Federal Constitution and facilitated by the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. It is a fundamental freedom.

Not all issues of public concern and controversy can be resolved by recourse to "constructive" engagement and "appropriate" channels when the political establishment only believes in engaging with voters once every five years.

I have always believed that the "back channel" approach to problem-solving invariably leads to corruption and abuse of power. Something that only benefits the elites and their propensity for greed and avarice.

The May 13, 1969, communal riots cannot be attributed to the DAP when the role of Umno has not been properly studied and evaluated. The Bersih rallies by far and large were peaceful, except for a few fringe elements and saboteurs.

It is not the place for an unelected institution to attempt to truncate the fundamental freedoms and rights of the people. As famous British constitutionalists and historians have said, "Monarchy only exists by the consent of the people."

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