YOURSAY ‘The red shirts should be given same terms and conditions as Bersih 4.’
Zahid gives Umno members green light for red shirt rally
StraightTalk: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, you are a senior vice-president of Umno and also the country's home minister and deputy prime minister.
You say Umno members can attend the red shirt rally on Sept 16. And you say that the government has no opinion on the rally and that it will not get involved.
If the government has no opinion and does not want to get involved, then don't you think it is only fair that this red shirt rally be declared illegal, just like the Bersih 4 rally held on Aug 29-30?
Why then do you want your party members to attend the rally? What exactly do you want your party members to proof to the nation - that they are anti-Bersih and are in favour of corruption and abuse of power?
Anonymous #19098644: Bersih 4 was led by reputable civic society leaders. This was supported by over 100,000 Malaysians of all races and religions.
Their aims were for free and fair elections, the right to assemble peacefully, the demand for a better economy and the resignation of an allegedly corrupt PM who has brought disgrace and shamed the entire nation.
The red-shirt thugs, on the other hand, hide behind anonymity and dare not show their faces. They advocate violence, bloodshed and race-based attacks. They are condemned by right-thinking Malay individuals and groups, and PAS has openly asked their members not to attend.
They have not submitted the requisite 10-day notice to the police and the rally has been declared by the police as an illegal assembly.
Thus, the home minister has condoned and supported an illegal assembly promoting violence, bloodshed and racism. This shows that he is totally unfit to be a parliamentarian and a minister.
Drngsc: Remember, IGP (inspector-general of police) and Zahid. The red shirts should be given same terms and conditions as Bersih 4. The whole world is watching.
I suggest that PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) monitor this rally closely. We will surely see the stark contrast between the disciplined Bersih 4 and undisciplined ‘Reds’.
Also, please do not blame Bersih 4 for any trouble caused by these Reds. They are out to cause mischief. Remember, same terms and conditions as Bersih 4. Nothing more, nothing less.
Proarte: What are the red shirts protesting about? Clearly they are against free and fair elections, good governance and an independent judiciary as these are Bersih's demands.
They do not represent the Malays but instead they are Umno-hired thugs bent on creating mischief. If none of them is paid, they would not be able to garner more than 50 people for their demonstration.
They say to expect 300,000 red shirts? Only when pigs fly. In these economically strapped times, Umno will not be willing to waste money on these red shirts, whose job is race-baiting and scare-mongering.
Instead, the police in an act of bogus ‘impartiality’ will deny the red shirts a permit, who in turn will dutifully comply like 'obedient' citizens, unlike the Bersih crowd who defied the unconstitutional police prohibitions.
The Observer: Strange. The Bersih 4 rally, calling for justice, was declared illegal, while red shirts protest calling for racial strife is considered legal by Umno politicians.
FellowMalaysian: It is a utter shame that as home minister, Zahid has not stopped or discourage Umno members from participating in the coming red-shirt rally knowing full well the intent and purpose of the organisers.
The rally seeks to incite one race against another. Their action is clearly seditious in nature and to have the home minister giving an ‘open letter’ to Umno members to participate clearly defies logical and sensible thinking.
It is indeed bewildering and bizarre to imagine how a peaceful street protest involving Bersih 4 could be manipulated and twisted by political elements.
Justine Gow: Malaysians should stay away from these red shirts on Sept 16. Let them have the streets so long as they gather peacefully.
If the authority practices double standards in their treatment of the red shirts and Bersih 4 supporters, it will be obvious to the whole world. Will the police be quick to fire tear gas and water to disperse the crowd if the gathering turns violent?
We will also be able to compare the behavior of the red-shirt crowd with that of Bersih 4 participants. Will the red-shirt crowd clean up the streets like Bersih 4 supporters did or will they leave a big mess behind?
Will the litter-bug minister, Abdul Rahman Dahlan, and DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) send a clean-up bill to the organiser of the red shirt rally (whoever he is)?
Aurum: It's one’s right to demonstrate but it has to be peaceful and no incite a riot. Based on the location and their ‘mandi darah’ slogan, their intention is questionable.
The police, on the other hand, should prepare their FRU (riot unit) in full force as this has all the classic signs of it going wrong.
Do the police come under the jurisdiction of the home minister? Is it right for the home minister to a statement which contradicted the police?
Just a Malaysian: Fighting corruption is a crime in Malaysia but threatening Chinese is an act of patriotism. Well done, Zahid. Your Chinese foster parent should disown you.
Mysterious Arab donor, mysterious red-shirt organiser
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