Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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(Aug 20): Bersih 2.0 was today warned against using Dataran Merdeka or Padang Merbok in Kuala Lumpur for its latest rally scheduled for August 29, but would be allowed to hold it in a stadium, where they could even go naked if they wanted to, an Umno minister has said.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was reported as saying that a mass demonstration in the open would cause safety and security concerns, proposing that the rally be held in a place like Stadium Malawati in Shah Alam.

“What will happen if you walk and some crazy people do something untoward? Do we want to take that risk?” he said when asked for comment on Bersih’s insistence on holding its August 29 and 30 rally in the capital’s main square.

"If they want to, they can go to any stadium they want. Go to Stadium Malawati at Selangor. Do whatever, you want to shout, want to be naked, do whatever you like."

Dataran Merdeka, he also said, was off-limits because of the Merdeka Day celebrations planned there.

“We have already said ‘No’, because Dataran Merdeka has historic value. That is also going to be used for National Day celebrations. Padang Merbok because of the logistics. So we are not going to allow them. We don’t want them to come into the open,” he was quoted as saying.

On Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz turned down a request for the Bersih 4 gathering to be held at the Dataran Merdeka next weekend.

He said he discussed the matter with Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah and informed her that it would be impossible for the gathering to take place as the square was the venue for Merdeka Day celebrations.

He had also suggested that the rally be held a week after the celebrations but this was turned down by Bersih.

"I told her that City Hall will facilitate the rally if they plan to have it a week after Merdeka, and we would also provide them Padang Merbok as the venue.

"But she turned down the suggestion and insisted on going ahead and to have the rally from August 29 to August 30," he said.

City police chief Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa was later reported as saying that City Hall (DBKL) had already turned down Bersih's request to hold the rally on August 29 and 30, and that the civil society group had not reverted to police with a notice of the gathering.

“Now that DBKL has not allowed them to gather at Padang Merbok or Dataran Medeka, and as no other venue has been suggested, we cannot allow the rally to go on," he said.

Insisting that the 34-hour rally would proceed as planned, Maria said police needed to be honest as they did receive the application form and letter of notice from Bersih 2.0.

The Bersih 4 rally will also be held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and Kuching, Sarawak, as well as major cities worldwide.

Its demands this time are for clean elections, corrupt-free government, the right to protest, strengthening parliamentary democracy and saving the economy.

Kuala Lumpur participants should congregate at Brickfields, Pasar Seni, Sogo, National Mosque and Dataran Maybank before making their way to Dataran Merdeka. – The Malaysian Insider

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