May 13 rally called off
“We had decided to postpone it after we were instructed by the country’s top leadership, who are worried about the security situation, after political parties manipulated the event for their interest,” Razali told The Malaysian Insider.
Written by Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider
The controversial May 13 “Melayu Bangkit” gathering in Kuala Terengganu has been postponed after the organisers “were instructed to do so”.
Gerakan Kebangkitan Rakyat (Gertak) chief, Razali Idris, also claimed that the date of the event was chosen by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and hence it is up to the former prime minister to decide on the next date for the gathering which was expected to draw 10,000.
“We had decided to postpone it after we were instructed by the country’s top leadership, who are worried about the security situation, after political parties manipulated the event for their interest,” Razali told The Malaysian Insider.
“The date for the event was chosen by Tun so we will let him decide when will be the suitable substitute date,” said the Gertak chief.
He added that the instruction to call off the gathering had reached him via the Terengganu Integrity Institute, the event’s co-organiser, early this evening.
Both Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional component party leaders have come out to slam the gathering which some described as “uncivilised” and “insensitive”.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the Chinese-based party was against such a gathering as “all Malaysians have learned from May 13 to be more multiracial, inclusive, moderate and in support of 1 Malaysia.”
He warned other BN leaders from Umno not to attend the gathering, pointing out that it was nothing but a “dark reminder” of the past.
Likewise his counterpart from PAS blasted the gathering as part of Umno’s racist agenda.
Its vice-president Salahuddin Ayub and secretary-general Datuk Mustapha Ali also condemned the involvement of a government agency, saying it has marred the Najib administration’s all-inclusive 1 Malaysia policy.
