Demand for Free and Clean Elections in Malaysia
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To deal with the growing corruption and lack of electoral reforms in Malaysia, a group of civil society organisations got together in November 2006. In 2010, Bersih 2.0. (Bersih means clean) was revitalised as a movement free from political influence, with a list of eight demands that must be met for Malaysia to have a truly functioning democracy that is free of corruption. People wear yellow shifts and come out in large numbers for rallies organised under the banner of Bersih, to show their desire for a change. In 2011, a Walk for Democracy was organised, but also a thousand were arrested. Many of these rallies are also shut down through water cannons and tear gas. The demand in 2015 was for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak, especially after it leaked that US$700 million were in his personal bank accounts. There has also been a growing possibility of violent attacks on the rallies, as well as police action to shut down the rallies, arrests and detention of activists.