Bersih is short for Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections.

The sole purpose of this movement is to ask the Election Commission of Malaysia to hold free and fair elections.

The requests they have are: indelible ink used on the ballots

Reform of the postal voting system

Equal and fair access to media coverage

A minimum 21 day campaign period

Clean up of the electoral roll and eliminate electoral fraud.

Bersih was first organized in 2006, and had their first demonstration in 2007.

This was countered by harsh government action, and had almost no local media coverage.

It was, however, credited to a shift in popular vote in the 2008 elections

In the Sarawak state elections in April, various human rights NGOs, activists and even foreign observers were barred from entering the state

There have been allegations of bought votes. A media blackout occurred during the polling, and at the last minute a large batch of mail in

votes were received, that overturned the opposing party's lead by only a few hundred votes. These combined situations have sparked the

reprise of the Bersih rally.

Originally planned to be a street demonstration to peacefully march to the Palace, plans have changed to use a stadium to have a safe

gathering for both the demonstrators and citizens carrying on their business.