Electoral reform movement Bersih 2.0, the organiser of four massive street rallies in Kuala Lumpur and in cities throughout Malaysia and the world, has won the 2016 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights in South Korea.
The Bersih 2.0 steering committee said in a statement today that it was proud for being acknowledged for its ongoing efforts by the Gwangju selection committee.
“This acknowledgement is the result of the fight of the people of Malaysia who had gathered peacefully as many as four times in the city centre to seek a clean and fair electoral system in the country,” the movement said in its statement, as quoted by The Malay Mail Online.
“The people have also proved their patriotic spirit when they walked the streets to defend the constitution, freedom to gather, voice an opinion and seek information.”
The Gwangju Prize is awarded by the May 18 Memorial Foundation in South Korea, in recognition of “individuals, groups or institutions in Korea and abroad that have contributed in promoting and advancing human rights, democracy and peace through their work”.
The foundation itself is named after the May 18 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement, where pro-democracy protesters in South Korea faced down the nation’s military while calling for the end of Chun Doo-hwan’s regime.
Bersih 2.0 has been calling for a systemic reform of Malaysia’s electoral process, and since its two-day #BERSIH4 rally last year, the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak due to its lack of faith in his leadership and Najib’s connection to the ongoing 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandals.
Bersih 2.0 was nominated for this year’s Gwangju Prize by Indonesian activist Mugiyanto and Malaysian activist Yap Swee Seng.
Representatives from Bersih 2.0 will be receiving the prize in person on May 18 in South Korea.
