7.30pm - Guests arrive at The Club, filling up the empty seats very
quickly. A long queue is outside as guests patiently file up for
registration.
7.50pm - Ambiga has arrived and we are awaiting KJ's arrival.
7.57pm - Almost full house and guests are still walking in. Quite a number wearing yellow t-shirts.
8.11pm - Seats are all taken up and some lucky ones who managed to
get into the hall are standing at the back just so they won't miss out
on the action.
8.16pm - Khairy has arrived. The entrance doors have been closed and
News Editor Ahmad Najmuddin Najib takes the mic to ask the attendees to
take a seat.
8.18pm - UStream feed and The Malay Mail website may be experiencing slow feed because online traffic to both websites are at its peak.
8.19pm - Ahmad Najmuddin makes announcement that both speakers are making their way to the hall.
8.22pm - Crowd gives a big round of applause to both speakers as they make their way in.
8.24pm - Ahmad Najmuddin welcomes everyone with a little background
of Spark the Debate. As he introduces the speakers, the crowd responds
as if to compete in how loud they are and who they support.
8.27pm - Managing Editor Terence Fernandez says a few words saying
"we are all friends ... Good evening friends". The Malay Mail was turned
away by many who were uncomfortable with subject of debate, Fernandez
says. Thanks the crowd for supporting this cause and staking "your claim
as Malaysians who care a d***".
8.34pm - Crowd outside still wanting to come in the hall but because the hall is full, they are turned down.
8.38pm - Moderator Muhammad Yunus is introduced
8.40pm - A little bit of a comedy moment as both speakers take their positions at the podium
8.40pm - Ambiga: Neither the PM nor Bersih 2.0 is going to get there
in the 13th GE (clean electoral roll). Ong Kian Ming's three-month
research is just the tip of the iceberg - uncovering 10 things wrong
with the electoral roll.
8.42pm - Some of the points she raised in Ong's research are more
than 1,000 voters are aged 100 and above. 15,855 voters whose IC numbers
indicate a different gender than EC's roll. Shows that a possibility
that a person of a different gender registered to use the IC. There is
much speculation that non-Malaysians given citizenships and hence voting
rights. Cases highlighted under the 10 categories looked at covers
100,000 cases. Ong did another piece of research that shows 3.1 million
voters whose IC addresses shows different constituency in which the
voter is actually voting in. "Someone's IC shows he is voter of A
constituency but he's voting in B constituency". Information was given
to EC by NRD in the year 2002 and the EC has done nothing about it.
65,000 foreigners were found in electoral roll and people who have been
removed or added. EC seems to be giving the impression only 42,000
doubtful voters. When they downplay it saying "it's a small number" it
is a highly irresponsible statement. PSC did not even scratch the
problem. EC also never raised them with the PSC. I would have thought
that the EC would have had full disclosure with the PSC with these.
Postal voters is another big issue. It is vulnerable to election
rigging. There has been cases of ballots being sold - also a problem
with postal voting. In Sibu by-election - postal votes made the
difference. PSC did not study this issue. Our quarrel with PSC is that
they didn't study the issue of security. To date we haven't seen any
regulation for Parliament laid by the EC in relation to these. Overseas
voters (last point). How can we deprive people of their right to vote
because of logistics?!
8.51pm - Khairy takes the floor.
8.52pm - Khairy: We share concerns ... We were teargassed by same
police force last year. I take a different perspective. Her decision to
go ahead with Bersih 3.0 on Saturday is something that is preemptive and
prejudicial in terms of the reforms that are taking place. For me, just
like the PM, I hold to one principle - that the next GE must be the
freest and the fairest. Winner must win with honour and loser lose with
dignity. I know you support me but please don't waste my time (to
applauding crowd). As a BN MP and chief of Umno and
BN Youth I support all parties have same amount of time and access to
rakyat through media. Many of the PSC recommendations are time bound - I
put it to Datuk Ambiga why are you preempting these reforms. I respect
your right to freedom to go on the street but why preempt it? Fraudulent
figures, Khairy says, are published in flyer. My problem
is misrepresentation. 42,051 - the history of these cases considered to
be dodgy or dubious. Last year, the EC asked NRD to go through the whole
electoral list. 12.5 million people - check for suspicious, inactive
people. NRD said 42,051 people - we don't have updates for them. Bersih
will have you believe that they are fraudulent voters. IF they were, the
EC would not have displayed them for three months. But they did for
everyone to see whether or not they were still alive. If within three
months nobody has come forward to say that I'm still alive or my father
has passed on, I would go with her and say strike them off the list. But
in the three months 1,248 cases came forward. 55% of which are still
alive. They came forward and said I'm still here. If the EC struck them
out of the electoral roll, the EC would have done something illegal and
denied these people their right to vote, under the Federal Constitution.
If you go with her argument that they are fraudulent voters and we must
strike them out then you are putting your argument on very shaky
grounds. I ask Datuk Ambiga once again, out of the remainder now that
1,248 people come forward, can you tell be with absolute certainty that
all of them are fraudulent voters? Just one concrete example why the
fundamental basis of asking people to go out on Saturday is a
misrepresentation of the facts.
9.03pm - Ambiga: I tell you where the fraud lies. It is with the lame
excuse that EC cannot do anything about it. EC is busy removing and
adding people. Under the law, Regulation 13 gives them the power to
revise the supplementary roll once in every three months. There is a
procedure. They need to make house to house or other inquiries or send a
notice asking for notification. If they don't respond, to be struck
out. He is talking about 42,000 people! What about the three million?
This is all I ask for. Put us in the room with the EC and then let us
fight it out! I need to tell you about fraud. The PSC recommended a
royal commission of inquiry into Sabah. What do you think that is about?
That's about fraud. That is phantom voters!
9.06pm - Khairy: Let me just address why EC won't use that
power. Precisely because of the 1,248 voters who are still there. The
EC, by the way, has given assurance to continue to look for them. And
one way is to allow them to vote. The only mistake they (voters) have
done is not update their IC. You say, (in your flier) 31,000 voters have
been transferred from their constituencies, including Selangor MB Tan
Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. Khairy cites geographical location of
addresses used by Abdul Khalid when he registered. This is not
transferring of voters. This is looking at Google Earth
and realising where the borders are. I can tell you for a fact that he
does not live in PJ anymore. He lives in Shah Alam - the MB Official
Residence. If he has not bothered to change his own address ... What
more?
9.10pm - The session is open to the floor for answers.
Participant says the issue that Bersih is going to the ground for is
much bigger than the 42,000 people. Excitement erupts from the floor ...
Khairy: I'm not saying you're going because of the 42,000 people. I'm
saying you're going out because of misrepresentation. I picked cases
that I've taken. I have no time to go through every single one. These
are some of the cases of misrepresentations. I have respect for her
(Datuk Ambiga). There has to be a border (referring to Google Earth).
My issue is very simple. These issues are very complexed and detailed
based on laws, regulations and precedence. The only way you're talking
to EC is through press conferences etc ... When EC came two weeks ago
came for breifing only 10 Pakatan MPs showed up. I know Ambiga is very
disappointed with PR for hijacking Bersih. Bersih submission was 34
pages long. Azmin minority report was three pages long. Come with us -
come to EC I will be there. Let us look at the names, the numbers and
let us address.
Ambiga: The difference between you and me is that you believe what EC
says. WE don't. We don't have confidence in EC. We will debate it.
That's what we want. We want to raise a point, EC can raise theirs.
Khairy: You say you don't trust the EC. You have been on record to
say they must resign. So what is the point of asking to see them? We
want a solution. Can I ask you a question. If there is an EC answer,
will you accept it or you're saying you're not going to accept it?
Ambiga: Last Thursday, this piece of legislation was rushed through
in Parliament. The Election Offences Act. The booth provided by EC, then
a sub 2 and sub 3 allowing agents of an election candidate to be
present. They have deleted that. That means in the booth, you will only
have EC. Which means people who walk in you own't be able to check.
Reasoning is there is too much problems without being able to cite them.
Use of indelible ink is no use because you can't tell from that
distance if their finger is marked. No independent arbitrator which
means making Nero Fire chief! All we ask is please guarantee that you
will implement, delay the elections, please! Delay the elections. Give
us time. In July last year civil society offered to sit in a
non-partisan group - all political parties represented and civil society
- and we said form an independent panel and we will help clean up the
electoral roll. If we had done that in July last year, we would have
been done by now. We fear this is going to be the dirtiest election. We
want a new set of people who are not going to behave like civil
servants. We are happy to sit with all the MPs to sit and hear us out -
hear our figures out.
Khairy: We are expecting a spirit of cooperation. If ultimately you
said you cannot work with the EC - you cannot cooperate with them, don't
trust them. Then you've put it front and centre that this election is
going to be dirty. But you don't accept (reasons). Even the issue of
borders you want to reject. Burden of proof on our electoral system is
that you have to inform the EC. This is something we can talk on the
long term. Fundamental issue is that you don't trust the EC and I'm
having a tough time trusting you tonight.
Ambiga: If EC had invited us to the briefing, we would have gone.
Khairy: Likewise, if you say there is no point talking to EC everytime you ask them to resign. I'm here as a man of peace.
Ambiga: Are you giving a guarantee that BErsih's demand n th ePSC's
recommendation will be implemented before the next GE. May not be in
your hands I know (aplause from crowd).
Khairy: Datuk, I know la you look down on me. But I came here to talk
to you and although it's beyond my powers. I give you my assurance that
if you are asking for a meeting with Election Commission, I will try my
best.
9.29pm - Khairy: We all play by the rules. If we lose an election, we
lose an election just as we handed over Penang, Selangor - Kelantan in
every election, Perak - for a while in 2008. If we lose, as far as I'm
concerned I can give you assurance that Malaysia, as a respected
democracy - if we lose, we lose.
9.31pm - Irene Fernandez: Bersih is walking not because of Ambiga but because rakyat has lost confidence.
Khairy: All of us purport to do things in the name of the rakyat. So
do I ... I'm not saying you're going out there because of Ambiga. Don't
perpetuate misrepresentations that I've cited tonight.
Ambiga: Let's wait to see if there is a spike in postal voters because they are for sale, literally.
Khairy: Fair enough.
9.38pm - A member of the audience asks about Malaysians abroad and their right to vote.
Ambiga: It is up to the government to make it happen. Our quarrel
with PSC is they said due to logistics, they are not going to force EC
to make it happen. The govenrment is not taking any steps to ensure that
these voters are allowed to.
Khairy: We are in agreement that they have to vote but I disagree
nothing is being done. There is a time bound recommendation for EC to
study ... I checked with EC if they have started discussion with Foreign
Affairs Ministry and they have. Many Malaysians overseas do not
register with commissions, embassies. But we have received positive
feedback from EC that they are making headway in making it possible.
Ambiga: Again, I'm sounding like a broken record, will it be done before the GE?
Khairy: As much as you want me to be the PM, I don't know when the elections are.
Muhammad Yunus: Spike in Pantai does not necessarily mean increased votes for BN. What is your comment on that?
Ambiga: When Nurul Izzah had her election workers to go round and
check her electoral roll. They were arrested twice. All they were doing
was what EC should be doing lah. Both times - both weekends - they were
arrested. They were stopped from doing that check. What does that tell
you? What does it tell you when there is political violence? Is there a
sense of desperation? It's important. I have made a call for both
Opposition Leader and the Prime Minister let it be a bipartisan approach
condemning political violence. This political violence. Let us all
condemn it together. It cannot be right. (Applause from the crowd).
Khairy: No quarrel on that.
Ambiga: Can you pass the message?
Khairy: Datuk Ambiga has single handedly made me an office boy. (Laughter from the floor)
Ambiga: Do not sneer the figures ... We are the rakyat and we expect our MPs to look into it.
10pm - Muhammad Yunus gives five minutes each to speaker to wrap up.
Khairy: The one important take away is this is a part of our
democratic culture. Secondly, by all means, on Saturday if you like, go
out. We've offered Stadium Merdeka. It's not about Dataran Merdeka. It's
about free and fair elections. There is an impasse here tonight. She
doesn't trust the EC but all I'm saying is that if all the MPs - BN and
PR - I ask you tongiht, as a Malaysian, let us go to the EC. LEt us look
at the cases one by one. Let us sit down and get your asnwers from th
eEC. No more press conferences no more shouting at each other. Let us be
reasonable. I offer my hand to you tonight. Let's go.
Ambiga: I disagree that every Malaysian wants a free and fair
election. I'm happy to have a discussion as you suggested but I would
like our MPs there. It's frustrating that you're listening to the EC.
With you on that. The issue about the offer to Stadium Merdeka - the
only reason why we did not want it was because it would be a mess
because there would be people in Dataran Merdeka and in Stadium Merdeka.
When you're an MP, you have to be open minded and when we criticise EC,
have us both there. So we can express and they can respond. Ultimately
the question still comes back to this: Is the government committed to
delay the elections to clean up the electoral rolls? Fulfil the basic
demands, give us that commitment. That is all we're asking for. To date
we haven't received that commitment.
10.05pm - Both speakers shake hands, marking the end of the debate.
Kuala Lumpur… 
Bayangkan sasaran
penganjur Bersih 3.0 yang membayangkan tidak kurang 100,000 orang rakyat
Malaysia yang rata-rata di import dari negeri Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pulau
Pinang dan lain-lain lagi akan berhimpun di jalanan (ya, saya menyebutnya
dengan betul… “jalanan” dan bukannya stadium atau lokasi yang mudah untuk diuruskan).
Berapa inci size Mat
Sabu? 
Hendak-hendak lagi size
Timbalan Presiden PAS, Mat Sabu. Beliau
boleh kata apa sahaja termasuk kejayaan memikat seseorang dalam tragedi 121 Hotel Perdana yang sungguh popular itu. 
TIDAK !!!
Sebelum
ini, KJ juga berjaya menonjolkan dirinya lebih dari Rafizi Ramli mahu
pun Nasrudin Tantawi, kedua-duanya merupakan ikon PKR dan PAS. Hanya
Nurul Izzah dan Tony Pua yang masih belum berdebat atau berforum bersama
KJ.
YB Phillip Tan telah lama dianggap gagal menjalankan tugasnya selaku wakil rakyat kepada penduduk dalam kawasan N.52 tersebut.
Phillip Tan menang menewaskan Dato’ Ee Kim Hock pada PRU12 yang lalu kerana faktor ‘tsunami politik negara’. Namun Phillip tidak dianggap popular terutama setelah kalah dalam pemilihan jawatankuasa DAP negeri Selangor kerana tidak sehaluan dengan YB Teresa Kok.
