Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan

I was surprise, someone high in the government hierarchy ask the question, who is Ambiga Sreenavasan?

Ambiga Sreenavasan is a Malaysian lawyer, a professionally qualified lawyer, a former President of Malaysian Bar Council from 2007-2009. Malaysian Bar Council is a body of legal practitioners in Malaysia,representing all Malaysian lawyers.

She is now Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan. She is the Chairperson of Bersih 2.0, the organisation that branded itself for the 2011 rally. Bersih 2.0 group is pushing the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) to ensure free and fair elections in Malaysia. They have 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 dirty politics.

Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan was born in 1956. She is a former student of Convent Bukit Nanas and served as the Head Prefect in 1975.

Ambiga Sreenavasan today is active in NGO. So she is not an ordinary person, but a person with strong legal knowledge. Her voice is not ordinary voice, she represented the voices of many Malaysian people. If you ignore her voice, it will be at own risk, especially those involve in politic.

She was awarded a Doto' and International Women of Courage Award.

The following was what the awarder said about her in the award ceremony. In March 2009, Ambiga became one of the eight recipients of the 2009 Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award. In the ceremony, the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented:

“Ambiga Sreenevasan, has a remarkable record of accomplishment in Malaysia. She has pursued judicial reform and good governance, she has stood up for religious tolerance, and she has been a resolute advocate of women’s equality and their full political participation. She is someone who is not only working in her own country, but whose influence is felt beyond the borders of Malaysia. And it is a great honour to recognise her and invite her to the podium"



Some Malaysian may pretend not to know her, but she will be well known internationally. As a lawyer and a representative of NGO, the group is only requesting for a positive change in the election rule. There is nothing wrong with the request, but it was repeatedly dismissed by EC, Election Commission. EC deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar claimed Bersih was working with Pakatan Rakyat to "overthrow the government."(source: wikipedia), Ambiga in reply , has criticised the EC's conduct, asking them to remain independent from politics. Rightfully, Election Commission and their staff should remain neutral, which include comments from them. Election Commission is not a vehicle of ruling party, whatever agenda the NGOs or individuals have, is not for them to comment, they should be above politic, and involved themselves only in election and process of election.

If the Election Commission is not responsive to the demand of Bersih 2.0. The group has no other choice but resort to peaceful rally, as expression of their demand to EC. There is nothing to do with political parties, however we cannot deny that it involve politic of the country. Some members of political parties may support the agenda of the group. The supporter may include member of ruling party and opposition. No one can avoid politic, not even any organization or NGO, when the agenda involve the process of selection of future government, the election process. Bersih 2.0 speak for the majority of the people who understand the unfairness of the election system on democratic representation in the country.

The demand is not only from Ambiga Sreenavasan, or Bersih 2.0, it is also from many people who are not member of any political parties, but an ordinary citizen who are entitle to vote in the coming election. They want a fair election for a fair government. They are the representative of the people to voice up to EC for a change of the election process. Majority of the people may not participate at the rally or wear yellow shirts, but many of them are with the group and support the demand for the change in election process.

Their heart is for yellow.....

This is just a simple voice from the ordinary people. Why EC dismiss it?





If Election Commission is neutral, what is so difficult to provide dialogue with Bersih 2.0, and avoiding the rally taking place.

We must also remember, Abdul Samad Muhammad Said was also in the rally on 9-7-2011. He is a person representing the sincere hearts of the people. Please do not ask, who is Abdul Samad Muhammad Said?......

Why worry and fearful of a sincere voice....

With Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan and Abdul Samad Muhammad Said, you need to respect the voice, it is a loud voice from the people......the color blind will only see 1/9 of the iceberg, yet forgot that 8/9 is under the surface. The number of the participants in the rally, is only random sample of masses of people who support the agenda. The crowd or herding effect, the contagion effect, and domino theory will play its positive role in the coming election...

Yellow angsana flowers just for you, Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan, from the Penang lang and all Malaysian.....

I see yellow in future, the political tsunami will be greater than 308....