The participants gathered at Padang Merbok. — Bernama photo
Jamal (second right) joining the rally. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The ‘Red Shirt’ rally at Padang Merbok here ended peacefully at about 5.30pm yesterday, with 14 resolutions, focusing on upholding democracy and respecting the country’s leaders, accepted unanimously.
Thousands of red-shirted participants at the rally, formally called “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu (United People’s Gathering)”, heard speeches by NGO leaders as well as poetry recitations.
They chanted slogans while holding up placards and banners to show their distaste for Bersih rallies and extreme politics.
Among the speakers were Yayasan Kemiskinan Kelantan founder Tan Sri Annuar Musa, National Silat Federation (Pesaka) president Tan Sri Ali Rustam and Persatuan Kebajikan Islam dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Pekida) president Jamaluddin Yusof.
While the rally went on smoothly at Padang Merbok, a group was causing trouble in Petaling Street, trying to breach the police barricade around the popular tourist destination.
Federal Reserve Unit personnel fired a water canon once to disperse the group, which never went to Padang Merbok and had stationed itself in the area from about 2pm.
An organiser, Datuk Jamal Md Yunus, at the end of the rally went over to persuade the group to leave. As of 7.30pm, most members of the group had left, with a few remaining.
Jamal and the other organisers disassociated themselves from the group. “They were not with us. I believe they were trying to sabotage our rally,” he said.
Annuar Musa commented: “Anybody can buy a red t-shirt and claim to be one of us while causing trouble.”
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tweeted that the police should investigate the group causing trouble.
The participants had gathered at four main staging points – Federal Territory Mosque, National Mosque, Putra World Trade Centre and the Craft Complex in Jalan Conlay – as early as 10 in the morning before starting to march to Padang Merbok at 2pm.
The rally organised by Pesaka and backed by several NGOs was held in reaction to the Bersih 4 street demonstration late last month.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the police would act against those who broke the law.
“We are colour blind. Regardless of whether it is yellow or red (shirt rally participants), action will be taken against those who broke the law,” he said in a post on his Twitter account.
Khalid congratulated Kuala Lumpur Police and all support teams which were on duty yesterday. Jalan Petaling was reopened to the public last night after the police trucks stationed there had moved out.
Meanwhile, Oriental Daily quoted Kuala Lumpur Police chief Datuk Tajudin Md Isa as saying during a press conference yesterday that about 35,000 people participated in the rally.