KUALA LUMPUR: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) chairman Thomas Fann has tendered his resignation with a two-month notice.
Thomas, in a statement, cited the rejection by the majority of the endorsing non-governmental organisations with Bersih on his leadership and efforts to transform Bersih into a People's Institution.
He however would be the caretaker until a new chairperson can be appointed.
His statement came 10 days after the end of the Bersih SC Election (2023-2025).
"The results for the five contested positions of Deputy Chair, Treasurer and three Committee Member posts were won by all four candidates led by Wong Yan Ke, who stood against the team that I had put forward, except for one Committee Member post won by Aira Azhari who came in third.
"The rejection of my team that was led by Ngeow Chow Ying (outgoing Treasurer) by the majority of the NGOs in this actively contested election that saw a record 50 out of 60 Endorsing NGOs participating (83.3 per cent), was a clear message to me that my vision and direction for Bersih was rejected.
"It was a vote of no confidence," he said.
Thomas said the divergent visions between the team he led and those supporting Wong were evident in the official statements issued by both competing teams during the election, with Wong and his team pushing for a restoration of Bersih to its roots as a People's Movement.
"While Yan Ke's team with four seats in the nine-member Steering Committee does not necessarily represent the majority of the SC, he does have the mandate of the majority of the Endorsing NGOs who voted.
"As much as his team and those who helped secured their victory are committed to restoring Bersih as a People's Movement, I am committed to evolving Bersih to become a People's Institution.
"In good conscience, I cannot lead a divided SC that is pulling in opposite directions or defy the will of the majority of the Endorsing NGOs.
"Neither could I go against my own conviction and lead Bersih in its attempt to become a People's Movement again when I believe that Bersih's future is for it to be an institution that is actively and constructively contributing ideas and solutions to strengthen our parliamentary democracy," he said.
While he believed that organising protest rallies, which has been Bersih's root as a People's Movement is one of our fundamental rights as a democracy, it is just one of the many means to advocate for reforms.
The change in the political landscape after the 14 General Election, he added had opened up other effective channels of engagement and Bersih under his leadership in the past five years had utilised those channels effectively and achieved impactful outcomes.
He believed that Bersih's viability as a People's Movement ended on May 10, 2018.
"It (Bersih) could either "close shop", evolve into a political party (though that opportunity had long passed) or evolve into an advocacy institution to go beyond regime change and focus on changing the system.
"You can only be a People's Movement if there are people behind you.
"It is normal to lose your momentum or support because most people's movement don't last beyond a few years or sometimes even months.
"I harbour no illusion that Bersih's past successes as a People's Movement was due to the efforts of the SC or the NGOs.
"Rather, it was because of the mass support we received to demand for change during that period (prior to GE14).
"We, Bersih, were just a tool of history, doing the right thing at the right season.
"That season is over and has been for a long time," he explained.
Thomas, however, stressed that he accepted the outcome of the election and opted to make way to allow for the formation of a united SC with the election of a new chairperson who champions restoring Bersih to a People's Movement.
"It's only fair for Yan Ke and his team of young and veteran leaders committed to 'revitalising Bersih as a People's Movement' to have a free hand to take Bersih to the direction they see fit in the next two years," he said, adding that the past five years, leading the coalition was a great honour.
He thanked the secretariat of Bersih and other dedicated members and wished the new SC and soon-to-be-elected chairperson the best.