Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim has clarified that the official Merdeka Day celebration at the Bukit Jalil stadium on Friday is open to the public - just hours after top ministry officers said only invited individuals will be allowed to enter the venue.
"Public are invited to Bukit Jalil National Stadium to celebrate 55th Merdeka rally on the night of Aug 31.
"The allegation made by certain people that the Merdeka 55 gathering at Bukit Jalil will be only for invitees is not true," Rais (left) responded in his Twitteraccount late last night when asked about ministry secretary-general Kamaruddin Siaraf's statement yesterday.
"It is deplorable for certain opposition leader to try to foil what is to be the rakyat's right to commemorate nation's 55th birthday," he said further on the micro-blogging website this morning.
However, Rais did not name either the "certain people" who made the allegation or the "opposition leader" whom he criticised.
"Public are invited to Bukit Jalil National Stadium to celebrate 55th Merdeka rally on the night of Aug 31.
"The allegation made by certain people that the Merdeka 55 gathering at Bukit Jalil will be only for invitees is not true," Rais (left) responded in his Twitteraccount late last night when asked about ministry secretary-general Kamaruddin Siaraf's statement yesterday."It is deplorable for certain opposition leader to try to foil what is to be the rakyat's right to commemorate nation's 55th birthday," he said further on the micro-blogging website this morning.
However, Rais did not name either the "certain people" who made the allegation or the "opposition leader" whom he criticised.
He also did not elaborate whether members of public would be allowed into the stadium where the Merdeka programmes will be staged, and whether there would be seat for the people.
Kamaruddin told a press conference yesterday that members of the public could witness the Merdeka spectacle from four screens outside the stadium as the seats in the stadium would be for VIPs, BN component party members, civil servants, schoolchildren and other specially-picked groups.
According to the ministry secretary-general, opposition leaders are also not invited into the stadium, but they could join the rest of the crowd outside the stadium.
Rais explained that the omission from the invitation list was due to the fact that the opposition was "not interested" in the federal government's Merdeka Day celebration and even rejected the event'soriginal logo (right).
Kamaruddin told a press conference yesterday that members of the public could witness the Merdeka spectacle from four screens outside the stadium as the seats in the stadium would be for VIPs, BN component party members, civil servants, schoolchildren and other specially-picked groups.
According to the ministry secretary-general, opposition leaders are also not invited into the stadium, but they could join the rest of the crowd outside the stadium.
Rais explained that the omission from the invitation list was due to the fact that the opposition was "not interested" in the federal government's Merdeka Day celebration and even rejected the event'soriginal logo (right).
Later, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang came forward to admit that he is the 'opposition leader' slammed by Rais.
“Rais need not be so coy as he can name me as the one who responded to the Malaysiakini report on the Malaysian Twitterverse,” Lim said in a statement today.
The Ipoh Timor MP said he had described in Twitter yesterday that the invite-only celebration is “scandalous”, “outrageous” and “a set-back for nation-building”.
“If I am wrong or mistaken, I am prepared to retract and apologise as I have no intention to spoil, foil or sabotage the Merdeka Day bash planned by the BN government at Bukit Jalil Stadium...
“I strongly disagree with the manner in which the BN is hijacking the celebrations, causing even greater division and dissension among Malaysians,” Lim added.
He said Rais' comments have prompted him to revisit the Malaysiakini report as well as his Twittermessages, and he found he made no mistake.
“There is no denial or retraction of the statement attributed to Kamaruddin Siaraf that members of the public can only witness the 55th Merdeka Day 'bash' from four screens outside the Bukit Jalil stadium.
“This has been further confirmed by the seating arrangement released by Kamaruddin yesterday.”
Hence Lim decided to stand by his Twitter messages yesterday, saying that the Najib administration has never heard or understood the statement 'The People Are the Boss' in a parliamentary democracy.
“How much would the Merdeka Day bash at Bukit Jalil stadium cost? Would BN pay for the bash from the BN coffers?
“As the Malaysian taxpayers will have to pay for the Merdeka Day bash at Bukit Jalil stadium, how can the Malaysian public be treated as 'outsiders', relegated to outside the stadium to watch from four screens? They might as well stay at home to watch the live telecast instead!” Lim added.
“Rais need not be so coy as he can name me as the one who responded to the Malaysiakini report on the Malaysian Twitterverse,” Lim said in a statement today.
The Ipoh Timor MP said he had described in Twitter yesterday that the invite-only celebration is “scandalous”, “outrageous” and “a set-back for nation-building”.
“If I am wrong or mistaken, I am prepared to retract and apologise as I have no intention to spoil, foil or sabotage the Merdeka Day bash planned by the BN government at Bukit Jalil Stadium...
“I strongly disagree with the manner in which the BN is hijacking the celebrations, causing even greater division and dissension among Malaysians,” Lim added.He said Rais' comments have prompted him to revisit the Malaysiakini report as well as his Twittermessages, and he found he made no mistake.
“There is no denial or retraction of the statement attributed to Kamaruddin Siaraf that members of the public can only witness the 55th Merdeka Day 'bash' from four screens outside the Bukit Jalil stadium.
“This has been further confirmed by the seating arrangement released by Kamaruddin yesterday.”
Hence Lim decided to stand by his Twitter messages yesterday, saying that the Najib administration has never heard or understood the statement 'The People Are the Boss' in a parliamentary democracy.
“How much would the Merdeka Day bash at Bukit Jalil stadium cost? Would BN pay for the bash from the BN coffers?
“As the Malaysian taxpayers will have to pay for the Merdeka Day bash at Bukit Jalil stadium, how can the Malaysian public be treated as 'outsiders', relegated to outside the stadium to watch from four screens? They might as well stay at home to watch the live telecast instead!” Lim added.
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