(Aug 18): Kuala Lumpur City Hall has shot down the request for Bersih 4 to gather at Dataran Merdeka next weekend.

Mayor Datuk Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz said he discussed the matter with Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah this morning and informed her that it would be impossible for the gathering to take place as Dataran Merdeka was the venue for Merdeka Day celebrations.

"I have already informed them that Dataran Merdeka will be used for preparations and rehearsals.

"As for Padang Merbok, it will be used by the armed forces as a logistics area to place their vehicles in lieu of the Merdeka Day parade," he said.

Amin, however, suggested that the rally be held a week after the celebrations.

"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 to have the rally from August 29 to August 30," he said.

Amin said that so long as participants of the rally did not cause disturbance and vandalism, there would not be a problem for them to gather around the surrounding areas.

"We are treating them like normal civilians. They can go about it, but they cannot disturb other members of the public," he said.

Amin also advised participants not disturb or interrupt a concert that will be held in front of the Sogo shopping complex on August 29 and 30.

"There will be 500 enforcement officers on standby from August 29 to August 31 for both the Merdeka Day celebrations and the rally. The enforcement officers will work closely with the police.

"We also do not want participants to erect any sort of tent, because it is not allowed and we will not give any permit as it would affect traffic and block the areas," he said, adding that action would be taken against those who put up tents.

Amin said Maria promised that Bersih participants would not enter Dataran Merdeka but would only gather around its vicinity.

Amin reiterated that the use of Dataran Merdeka was specifically for national events and programmes organised by City Hall.

City Hall has the jurisdiction to allow or disallow any event from taking place at Dataran Merdeka. – The Malaysian Insider