‘Red shirt’ leader blames DAP and opposition for Petaling Street flare-up

On Wednesday, thousands of red shirt participants thronged Kuala Lumpur to show Malay solidarity and to send a message against the Bersih 4 rally held on August 29-30.

In comparison, 53% said they were against it, an indication that the majority in the community do not think that their jobs, families and futures are being threatened by “other races”.

After initially declaring it illegal, police have now allowed the rally to go on after organisers obtained permission from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to use Padang Merbok. Several prominent Umno members participated in the red shirt rally on Wednesday. Some carried banners that read, “People unite to defend the government of the people’s choice”.

A standout amongst the most frank is the Sungai Besar United Malays National Organization (UMNO) division boss, Datuk Jamal Md Yunos, who is sorting out a “red shirt” rally for September 16 (which circumstantially is Malaysia Day) to instruct the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Chinese not to be discourteous to Malays. Many see themselves as the rightful owners of Malaysia’s history, heritage and governmental power. Rights and freedom are only for other races.

“We are also against the intervention of foreigners into the country’s affairs, against the Bersih 4 rally which was not civilised, and will continue supporting the government which was selected by the rakyat”, Annuar was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Interestingly, more half the respondents (56%) who professed to be Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters said they did not support the rally.

Business operators, especially those who are Chinese, had closed their shops for fear of trouble.

The prime minister has been fighting for political survival after documents leaked in July showed he received some $700 million in his private accounts from entities linked to indebted state fund 1MDB. The Malaysian ringgit is down 26 percent from a year earlier, breaching 4 ringgit to the dollar last month, its weakest level in 17 years. He is also saddled with allegations of mismanagement at 1MDB.

Last week, Najib’s office dismissed reports that the two men had been his bodyguards.

He said while he upholds Article 152 of the federal constitution, which states that Bahasa Malaysia is the national language, every Malaysian must have the choice of the type of school they want to learn at. It won in 2013, but lost the popular vote for the first time to an opposition alliance.