Join Sept 16 rally if you’re ‘Malay enough’, Dr M told

(Malay Mail Online) – An NGO has challenged Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to join the September 16 “red shirt” rally if the former prime minister felt that he was “Malay enough”.

Coalition of Malay NGO president Datuk Jamal Md Yunos said Dr Mahathir was more than welcome to join the rally on Malaysia Day, after the elder statesman made an appearance twice at the Bersih 4 rally last month.

“If Tun Mahathir feels that he is Malay enough, he is more than welcome to join,” he told reporters in front of the Dang Wangi police station here.

“As long as he doesn’t make demands like wanting Datuk Seri Najib to step down. He barely has the qualification to do so.

“Only the people and Umno members can ask Najib to step down but we are all behind him fully, so there is no point,” the Sungai Besar Umno division chief added, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Dr Mahathir has said the September 16 rally was unnecessary, citing previous unrest in Bangkok, Thailand, to illustrate the dangers of rival protests.

The rally, alternatively called Himpunan Maruah Melayu and Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu, was purportedly organised to counter the purported Chinese domination of the Bersih 4 protest last month.

The organiser of the September 16 rally is purportedly a Malay martial arts organisation called Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan Malaysia (Pesaka), led by Senator Tan Sri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam.