RED SHIRTS, BERSIH 5.0 BARRED FROM HOLDING GATHERINGS - ZAHID HAMIDI.


KUALA LUMPUR: The government today warned that Bersih 5.0 and the Red Shirts group are disallowed from holding any gatherings and they will have to face the law if they do so.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government made the decision because it did not want a clash between the two groups.

Ahmad Zahid said the venue of the gathering for which notice was given by Bersih or the Yellow Shirts group was on the prohibited list of venues in the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 despite the notice having been given 10 days prior to the event.

"As was specified in the statement issued by Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Mhd Amin Nordin (Abdul Aziz), Kuala Lumpur City Hall does not allow the venue to be used.

"As such, the police have decided that the decision of KL City Hall must be adhered to and advises the two groups against organising any gathering as stated by me in the Dewan Rakyat today," he told reporters at the lobby of Parliament House.

The Red Shirts had planned a gathering at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday while Bersih 5.0 intended to have one on Nov 19.

Winding up debate on the Supply Bill 2017 allocation for the Home Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat, Ahmad Zahid said the ministry did not have any relationship with and did not promise any protection to any group, whether it was Bersih or the Red Shirts.

He said the police would act firmly against the two groups if they did not adhere to the procedures specified.

"The Honourable Member for Kinabatangan (Datuk Bung Moktar Radin) and the Honourable Member for Bukit Gelugor (Ramkarpal Singh) had asked me whether the Home Ministry had any relationship with the Red Shirts and sought an undertaking over whether the Red Shirts would cease their gatherings if Bersih did so.

"I wish to stress here that the Home Ministry has no relationship whatsoever nor does it provide protection for any group, whether it is Bersih or the Red Shirts," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said that up to October this year, 175 police reports were received in the country on the Bersih 5.0 gatherings.

Based on the police reports, he said, investigations were conducted under the Sedition Act, Peaceful Assembly Act and other laws.

Ahmad Zahid said several reports were also received on the leader of the Red Shirts group, Datuk Jamal Yunos.

"I wish to state that if there is no yellow (group), there will be no red (group). If there is no Maria Chin (chairman of Bersih 2.0), there will surely be no Jamal Yunos.

"So, I ask the red and yellow groups to find the best platform to seek a solution than to resort to holding gatherings," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said that in the matter of Bersih and the Red Shirts, the Home Ministry called on all quarters to uphold the law as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and other legislation in force.

"While we struggle for something in the national interest or to uphold justice, we should not ignore the laws formulated by Parliament," he said. Bernama

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