KOTA KINABALU: Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak yesterday questioned the motives of the Bersih 4.0 organisers in holding their rally at the Dataran Merdeka in the federal capital during the Merdeka Day celebrations on Aug 31.
Salleh said the organisers were aware that the Dataran Merdeka was the location for the Merdeka Day celebrations each year and their motive for using it for their activities was suspect.
“If we want to have a rally, we need to get a permit from the police. The police have already said that Dataran Merdeka would be used for the Merdeka Day celebrations on Aug 31. But they purposely do this so their objective is to disrupt the celebrations.
“So where is their spirit of patriotism? We have said, if you want to have a rally, do it somewhere else. They can do it in the stadium. That is not wrong. But don’t let the intention be to disunite the people…street protests are not in line with our political culture,” he said.
Salleh said this in his speech at a gathering organised by the Sabah Special Affairs Department which was attended by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin, Sabah Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid and Sabah Information exco Datuk Sapawi Ahmad.
According to Salleh, Malaysia practised democracy which allowed differences in opinion but these differences must be celebrated and not promote disunity and political instability, breaking up the people.
On the proposal that amendments be made to the Communications and Multimedia Act at the end of this year, Salleh said it was in the interest of the nation and for its security. He said online news portals in Singapore and Britain were also registered with the governments to ensure that they adhered to the law. — Bernama