KUALA LUMPUR: About 100 Umno Youth and Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (Perkasa) members gathered in front of Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad office in Jalan Chan Sow Lin here today, to express support for its newspaper which has been accused of publishing lies over issues involving opposition parties.
The gathering which began at about 2pm after Friday prayers was filled with cries of “Hidup Melayu”, “Hidup Perkasa” and “Selamatkan Utusan”, with some participants also holding posters with the words, “Utusan Perkasa Melayu”, written on them.
Seven Umno Youth representatives led by its assistant secretary Datuk Megat Firdaus Megat Junid and seven Perkasa representatives led by its secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali handed a memorandum expressing their support for Utusan Malaysia to the newspaper’s deputy editor-in-chief II, Ahmad Abd Hamid.
Syed Hassan told reporters that one of the four main points contained in the memorandum stated that since its establishment, Utusan Malaysia had always fought for the agenda of national development and sovereignty.
“It also champions Malay and Islamic interests which are stipulated under Article 152 (2) and 153 of the Federal Constitution,” he said and hoped that Utusan Malaysia staff would keep up their spirits in the face of provocation and opposition from groups with vested interest and narrow politics.
Megat Firdaus, meanwhile, said that Utusan Malaysia had contributed a lot to the nation by creating public awareness on issues and concerns, providing the latest information including on politics, and in educating the people, especially children.
“But does Suara Keadilan discuss history and provide educational input for its readers? It’s all politics and lies,” he said.
“We the 700,000 of us in Umno Youth will defend Utusan till the end,” he added.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth had prior to this, sounded that its members would also today gather at the same place (in front of Utusan) and hand a memorandum rejecting the alleged politics of lies by Umno Youth.
However, they had postponed the gathering to another date, said its information chief Rozan Azen Mat Rasip, because of the anti-Lynas demonstration, also planned for today by the opposition and NGOs, and that Umno Youth and Perkasa members would also be at Utusan today.
Cheras police chief ACP Mohan Singh when contacted, said the gathering in front of Utusan today was under control and went on peacefully. – Bernama