The ‘red shirt’ rally on Malaysia Day had targeted Petaling Street. The group’s leader has planned another protest there tomorrow. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 25, 2015.
Electoral reform watchdog Bersih 2.0 joined the growing chorus calling for the arrest of “red shirt” rally leader Datuk Jamal Md Yunos, adding that police must pick him up even if the planned protest in Petaling Street tomorrow is called off.
Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah said in a statement today Jamal could be investigated for criminal intimidation for saying that non-Muslims might be targeted, in the run up to the September 16 rally last week.
She added that Jamal personally led a crowd of “red shirt” protesters in trying to storm Petaling Street.
Jamal, the Sungai Besar Umno chief, had also threatened to hold another rally in Chinatown tomorrow, which resulted in the police saying they would arrest him if he did not back down.
“Investigation and prosecution must proceed even if he cancels the rally to force authorities’ action on alleged sales of counterfeit products and an end to alleged monoethnic monopoly of businesses.
“If Jamal gets away after making such criminal threats, the police will be effectively sending an invitation to more groups to imitate the ‘red shirt’ protesters and undermine our ailing economy by chasing away tourists and investors,” Maria added.
As such, she urged the police to act professionally and impartially by hauling Jamal up to face the music.
She said while Bersih 2.0 supported the right to peaceful assembly, any rally intending to overawe or compel others by criminal force or to commit mischief were not peaceful and not protected by the Federal Constitution.
She added that instead, such rallies were “unlawful” under Section 141 of the Penal Code which carried a maximum jail term of six months and a fine if found guilty.
- TMI
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