__ Bersih 2.0 __2011

It has been barely 24 hours in the aftermath of the Bersih 2.0 rally, but countless opinions have already hit the public sphere - be it in the media, cyberspace or in neighbourhood coffee shops - arguing the event's success.

Pro-government newspapers splashed pictures and articles on how the demonstration failed in its quest to sow chaos on the streets of Kuala Lumpur, with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (right) and senior ministers claiming victory over what they call an illegal rally.

The rally organisers conversely declared the event a success, claiming a 50,000-strong turnout, in stark contrast to police estimates of around 6,000 people.

Bersih 2.0 chief Ambiga Sreenevasan even stated that the rally has helped Malaysians realise that the country needs a "sophisticated democratic process".

But has the rally really achieved something greater than intended - as claimed by its proponents - or did it end up being a dud, as hoped by its opponents?

Political analyst Ong Kian Ming thinks yesterday's rally would only bring limited political impact, largely due to the lower level of alleged violence that protesters endured compared to previous mass demonstrations.

He pointed out that unlike past rallies when political awareness wasjust budding, it would take something more "impactful" to dislodge more votes from the ruling BN coalition.

"... even though (the turnout was good) in terms of numbers, (and that) there were a number of people arrested, but the level of violence was relatively low. People will easily forget what has transpired," he said when contacted.

"It will only affect the people in the Klang Valley. By and large, the injuries are not serious, (there were) no permanent injuries, (so a swing in support) will not go down to the ground like Pakatan want."

More newcomers in the fray

Ong acknowledged that the rally did manage to draw a much better racial mix and more youths to participate, but remained sceptical of how much of difference that would make in terms of votes.

"From that (multi-racial and youth) perspective, it is more successful. It was multi-racial, more middle-class, and many of them were first-timers in a rally.

"There were also a lot of middle aged (people) in fact... but I think they didn't vote BN (the) last time, so (it's) not much different."

Another political analyst however stressed that it would be a mistake for the BN to assume the rally's impact would not be significant, regardless of whether or not the turnout was due to mobilisation of Pakatan supporters.

Khoo Kay Peng (right) pointed out that those who voted for the opposition in the last general elections in Peninsula Malaysia accounted for a little over 51 percent of the tally.

"The government should not think they are just a pinch of salt. Many of them are young voters and they translate to a significant vote," he said.

Khoo noted that a distinction must be made between Bersih 2.0, which is a movement seeking clean and fair elections, and Pakatan, which is a political entity, but agreed that the government's handling of yesterday's rally will lose it some support.

He particularly zoomed in on Najib's apparent flip-flop on his stadium offer, saying the onus is now on the prime minister and his administration to explain why he reneged on his promise to allow the rally to be held in a stadium.

"It will create a bad perception of the government. This will give some advantage to the opposition, but not necessarily in favour of Pakatan. There are a lot of issues in Pakatan," he said, without elaborating.

Govt ban only promoted rally

Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian meanwhile sees the rally as an international success, in no small part thanks to the government's concerted efforts to stop it from taking place.

"They (Bersih 2.0) are well known domestically and internationally. At the very least, the group or coalition is a lot more well known to a wider audience compared to two weeks ago," he said.

Ibrahim (right) however noted that this should not take away the fact that the movement had on its own built a strong enough following, judging from what he observed as a large number of rally newcomers.

He added that the rally has effectively shifted the focus from public service delivery reforms to much-needed democratic reforms in Malaysia.