Malaysian Head of State Agong served more practical purpose than SG President
Agong played a neutral role and brought a more peaceful settlement to the impending major Bersih show down. This is also their election year.
In the comparison this is also SG's Presidential & General Election year, and famiLEE LEEgime only repeatedly stress to the people that Elected President is essentially their puppet and eunuch. Practically useless.
Malaysia Boleh! LEEgime mati!
;)
ABC News URL
King heads off feared Malaysia violence
Posted
Malaysia's king has headed off a potentially violent confrontation of protest groups on the streets of Kuala Lumpur.
An Australian observer, Professor Clive Kessler, told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program the country had "stepped back from the brink" with the royal intervention.
In a rare intervention in politics, sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin called on an electoral reform group, Bersih, to call off a street protest.
Bersih's plans to hold anti-government protests on Saturday had stirred other groups, including the ruling UMNO party, to say that they would hold counter rallies - raising fears of possible riots.
After an audience with the king, Bersih, the Coalition for Free and Fair Election, has decided to hold the weekend march in a stadium, allaying fears of chaos.
Professor Kessler, from the University of NSW, says it was "a remarkable intervention".
"The last two weeks in Malaysia have been astounding and gripping and all one can say is that Malaysia has, at least for the moment, stepped back from the brink," he said from Kuala Lumpur.
He says the calling out of other groups in counter-rallies came after the government refused to sanction the Bersih march.
"The government basically said no and authorised the use of violence by surrogate, by vigilante groups, against the marchers and was pleading in advance self-defence in doing so," he said.
"In other words, blaming the Bersih sympathisers and Bersih for the violence that was to be unleashed upon them, and that was a terrifying prospect."
After complicated negotiations, the Bersih group agreed to meet in a stadium in Shah Alam, the state capital a little outside Kuala Lumpur.
"The march is officially off, but a very large number of people can be expected to attend the [rally] since it's no longer forbidden. It now has royal blessing," Professor Kessler said.
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