MCA has blamed attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali for the actions of Mohd Ali Baharom, better known as Ali Tinju.

"It can be safely stated that Ali Tinju's bravado to organise another incitement-filled demonstration is due to the attorney-general dropping all sedition charges against him despite his inflammatory rhetoric outside Low Yat Plaza.

"By declaring there was no case against him, the authorities appear to consent or condone his racially-charged language thereby emboldening him," said vice-president Chew Mei Fun.

She said if the AG had not dropped the sedition charges against him, Ali Tinju would have thought twice about organising public protests.

Chew was responding to Ali Tinju's plan to hold another protest outside the Kota Raya shopping complex this evening in response to a handphone trader cheating and confining a customer.

Though he vowed to settle the issue without violence, the Malay Army Veterans Association president, however, said the protest would be as "panas" (hot) as the Low Yat incident.

A check by Malaysiakini showed that numerous outlets in the shopping complex have closed in fear of the protest.

Ali Tinju was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act for allegedly making an inflammatory speech outside Low Yat Plaza in July.

The attorney-general had explained that the sedition charge against Ali Tinju was dropped because police could not come up with the audio recording of the alleged inflammatory remarks he made during the riot.

Meanwhile, Chew also urged police to take preventive measures against Ali Tinju.

“The police and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) must also ensure that the Peaceful Assembly Act requiring 10 days’ notice to the police is applied to Ali Tinju, lest the authorities once again be verbally pelted as practising double standard,” she said.

As for the customer who was allegedly confined against his will, Chew said although retailers should not do such a thing, the complainant could have lodged a police report against the handphone traders over the matter.

“If a trader is unhappy that the customer did not make a purchase, he should not forcefully require a sale. If the purchaser felt that he was overcharged for his purchases, he may also file a complaint with the Tribunal for Consumer Claims.

“At the same time, if there was suspected shoplifting, the trader should likewise lodge a police report, apprehend the suspect and hand him over to the police, who should next investigate if there indeed was such pilfering that compelled the trader to confine his customer,” said Chew.

Malaysians, she added, are tired of such provocations, which are becoming habitual.

“(This would) result in passers-by being intimidated, and who would thus give these shopping districts a skip, which leads to severe business losses and buildings being physically attacked by protesters,” she said.