RM1.5m donated for peaceful assembly: Bersih 2.0

PETALING JAYA: The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections 2.0 (Bersih 2.0) has received RM1.5 million in donations for the Bersih 4.0 peaceful assembly.
Bersih 2.0 chairman, Maria Chin Abdullah in a statement said the amount far exceeded their initial budget of RM200,000 which was based on shoe-string estimates and their sense of the economic hardship Malaysians were enduring.

"We were ready to use our reserves to cover any gap between our expenditure and donations. Also, we expected to raise more funds through our annual fund-raising dinner later this year.
"By giving so generously while suffering such economic hardship, the rakyat have overwhelmingly endorsed our call for clean elections, clean government, the right to dissent and the strengthening of our parliamentary democracy so that our economy can be saved," she added.
She said donations were still pouring in for the Bersih 4.0 assembly.
"We will not disappoint the rakyat who have shown so much trust in us. We will be responsible, accountable and transparent.
"We will use the donations prudently to fund the immediate needs of the Bersih 4.0 peaceful assembly as well as Bersih 2.0’s long-term programmes," she added.
She said a large portion of the expenses will be used to ensure that security personnel and logistics volunteers will be able to carry out their duties safely over the two days.
"We will also fund bail money and litigation costs for participants and organisers, and provide compensation for leased equipment which may be confiscated.
"We will use the remainder of the donations to fund our operational expenses, public interest litigation, publicity and our various programmes such as the redelineation monitoring programme, the up-coming Sarawak state elections and voter education programmes throughout the country," she said.
Chin also thanked everyone for their overwhelming support.
"We have decided not to hold our annual fundraising dinner this year. After the Bersih 4.0 peaceful assembly we will publish our accounts," she added.