A troubling development in terms of the symbolism of Malaysian identity is the racializing of the colours Yellow and Red following the recent of Bersih 4 protests. The withdrawal of PAS a form the organizing and mobilizing of the Bersih movement and event has resulted in a visible difference in the crowd. There is a dearth of Malay participants, and consequently, the Bersih Yellow has come to signify the ‘Chinese interest’ rather than the intended symbolism of ‘Clean and Fair Politics’. The Bersih 4 march was swiftly followed by a definitively Malay Red shirt rally, filled all the ugly posturing that brings the deja vu of may 13th 1969 to older Malaysians.
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