The effects of Bersih 2.0 can be felt beyond politics.
AS GLOBAL MARKET STOCKS rise and fall, bringing with them more financial uncertainty and a likely global slowdown at least for the short term, it is important to examine how political conditions within Malaysia affect its economic performance. In the days before the July 9 Bersih rally calling for electoral reforms, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak claimed that the peaceful demonstration would negatively affect the economy by portraying Malaysia as unstable. By pointing to the Middle East, the premier tried to instill fear that Bersih would affect financial pocketbooks. In the demonization of the rally’s organizers and the declaration of the illegality of Bersih, there was a clear appeal for Malaysians to oppose the Bersih movement on economic grounds.
Now, one month later, let’s unpack the economic issues involved. We will find that Bersih did have a negative impact on Malaysia’s economy, but this was more a product on how it was handled by leaders, rather than the demonstration itself and its goals.
In fact, a closer look at the goals of Bersih suggests a positive impact on the economy if the reforms advocated are introduced. Allow me to lay out a few broader policy issues tied to Bersih that had and continue to have direct bearing on the economy.
