Despite police refusal, rep says ‘red shirt’ rally to go ahead just like Bersih 4

(Malay Mail Online) – A representative of the organisers of the “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” said today they are taking a leaf out of the Bersih 4 rally’s playbook and will proceed with their September 16 demonstration despite a ban by the police.

Gabungan NGO-NGO Malaysia chairman Datuk Jamal Md Yunos said they are merely doing their “work” in organising the counter-rally to Bersih 4, just like how the police are doing their jobs in issuing a prohibition on their rally.

“We see Bersih (4) was banned but they went ahead with it and the rally happened,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

“The police are not wrong… that is the police’s job. The police can issue whatever statement that they want.

“They are doing their jobs in the interest of the rakyat and the country. But this is our work, and we will continue with our efforts to organise this rally,” Jamal added.

He said the organisers will continue to apply for police permission to hold their rally, and added, “it is up to the police to allow it or not”.

“September 16 will definitely go ahead,” he said, while stressing that he is not part of the organisers but is assisting them in organising the event.

Earlier today, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim was quoted by state news agency Bernama as saying that the police will not allow the red shirt rally — so-called by their choice of shirt colour — to proceed on grounds of “security implications”.

The rally is being organised by an unnamed group via social media, ostensibly in reaction to the Bersih 4 overnight protest held late August, and its organisers are claiming that as many as 300,000 will attend.

Also called “Himpunan Maruah Melayu”, the purported rally has received unofficial support from parts of Umno, including minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia in its Mingguan Malaysia weekend edition yesterday pressed authorities to allow the rally to take place, saying it was necessary to counter what it dubbed as the Chinese-dominated Bersih 4 rally.

It was criticised yesterday by former international trade and industry minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, who dubbed it an instigation to racialisation with its call for Malays, especially those from the country’s ruling party, to unite against the DAP and organisers of Bersih 4.

Polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 organised the overnight street rally on August 29 and 30 to demand for electoral reforms as well as the resignation of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister owing to a controversy surrounding his receipt of a RM2.6 billion donation from the Middle East.

September 16, which falls on a Wednesday, is Malaysia Day and a national holiday.