Malay Armed Forced Veterans Association president Mohd Ali Baharom, better known as Ali Tinju, has said that while he is the organiser of the supposed rally at Petaling Street today, his group is not the same as the red shirts.
"The red shirts are different from the Gerakan Merah (Red Movement). Jamal (Md Yunos) is with the red shirts while I am with the Red Movement.
"Jamal was the one who said there might be a riot . You should call him and ask why he said that. The Red Movement did not say that at all," Ali ( photo, left ) said, as reported by The Star today.
Jamal ( photo, right ), the frontman for the red shirts, is the chairperson for the Malay NGO coalition and the Sungai Besar Umno division chief.
Yesterday, The Malaysian Insider reported that Ali Tinju had admitted to being the organiser of today's aborted rally at Petaling Street.
He had said the cancellation was based on the advice of the authorities, although he warned that another rally could take place on a future date.
"We respect the police's instruction, but the authorities should open up space for Malay traders in Petaling Street and Low Yat in the future.
"If they fail to do so, the Red Movement will go forth without respecting the orders of the authorities," he said in a Facebook posting yesterday evening.
However, he changed his tune today, saying his group wants peace.
"But I heard the authorities are prepared to do so. We do not want to create problems, we are peacemakers. We are influenced by the principles of 1Malaysia," he told The Star today.
Ali Tinju said he is currently in his hometown Malacca to celebrate Hari Raya Haji.
"I will be busy the whole day. I am not coming to Petaling Street. I would like to reiterate that the Red Movement is a peaceful movement.
"We just want to air our opinions. Not to fight or anything. We want authorities to consider and approve the needs of other people," he said.
Cannot guarantee rally won’t happen
However, he also told the daily that he cannot promise there would not be a rally at Petaling Street today, despite his announcement of the cancellation.
" Itu luar jangkaan kami (It has nothing to do with us). All the NGOs under the Red Movement have followed my instructions and they will not go to Petaling Street ( photo ).
"A statement was released on my Facebook page. We cancelled, even before Jamal was arrested. We respect the police's decision," he said.
On Wednesday, Jamal had said that there would be a riot at Petaling Street today, if authorities did not act on the traders there who sold counterfeit goods.
He then later denied any involvement with the rally and said he would not be there.
However, he was arrested last night around 8.50pm under Section 105 of the Criminal Procedure Code which confers the police powers to detain anyone to prevent a seizable offence from being committed.
His aide said earlier today that the Sungai Besar Umno leader is expected to be released from detention this evening.
Jamal was one of the organisers of the Sept 16 red shirt rally to "defend Malay dignity", held purportedly in reaction to the Bersih 4 rally last month, which they claimed was Chinese-dominated.
The red shirt rally was marred by scuffles between police and protesters, who demanded to enter Petaling Street, and ended with the Federal Reserve Unit firing the water cannon at rally-goers.
