Malay daily Utusan Malaysia hit out at news portals Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider ( TMI ) for allegedly not supporting the Malay community's right to peaceful assembly.
In its online edition, the Umno-owned daily also accused the two agencies of “double standards” in its reporting of yesterday's red shirts rally or ‘Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu’.
" Malaysiakini and TMI stand is confusing because they support the illegal Bersih 4 rally, but at the same time does not recognise the Malays' right to peaceful assembly," it said.
Among others, it said the two portals coverage played up negative aspects to belittle the “lawful” Sept 16 rally.
Utusan said Malaysiakini and TMI also painted a “false image” that the rally was meant to create chaos and stoke racial tensions.
Some 50,000 protesters in red flooded downtown Kuala Lumpur yesterday and made their way towards Padang Merbok.
The rally was held in response to Bersih 4 held over the Merdeka Day weekend, which organisers claimed was racist and hurt Malay pride.
The Sept 16 rally received permission to be held in Padang Merbok, and remained largely peaceful.
However there was a standoff between some marchers and the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) at Petaling Street, after the protesters insisted on passing through the predominantly Chinese district.
The FRU sprayed down the crowd with a water canon, but they only agreed to disperse hours later after their spokesperson Jamal Md Yunos convinced them to leave.
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