Zahid: No more yellow shirt or red shirt demos

DPM says enough is enough, many other forums to air dissenting views

SERIAN: Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for an end to street demonstrations as it is not Malaysian culture and should not be practised in the country.

He said Malaysia was a democratic country with elections to choose its government and leaders and not through street demonstrations.

“Enough is enough, I do not want any more yellow shirt or red shirt demonstrations after this because there are many other forums for those not satisfied to voice their views apart from going out into the streets to hold demonstrations,” he said at a meet-the-people session in Kampung Terbat Teban, Tebakang near here Saturday.

He said the country has laws that needed to be respected by all the people and disagreed with the action of any quarters to hold street demonstrations.

Alluding to the red shirts rally on September 16, Zahid said he did not want to protect or defend anyone and would not intervene as the matter was under the police jurisdiction.

He said national leaders come and go but the democratic system and elected leaders must be respected.

On another note, he said elected leaders should go down to the ground to help the people, and not only appear when the election was near.

He also reminded the people to be wary and not to be easily influenced by defamations made by the opposition parties in the social media.

The opposition’s political ploy is merely to disunite the people and if such disunity occurred, it would be a high price to pay.

Zahid said the Barisan Nasional government was serious and should be creative in its efforts to develop the people, especially in the rural areas.

“I come from the village and I can understand very well the problems and needs of the rural people especially their health and educational needs,” he said.

Zahid also urged the people in the country to cast aside racial, cultural and religious differences for national peace and racial harmony to continue prevailing.

“We must regard this land, Malaysia as our country together and the people of Sabah, Sarawak and states in the peninsula should be of one heart despite racial and religious differences and should possess the spirit to jointly develop our country,” he said.

At the function, Zahid announced an allocation of RM300,000 for the Serian parliamentary constituency, including repair costs for the Kampung Terbat Leban community hall.

Also present were Human Resources Minister Richard Riot Jaem, Sarawak Housing and Tourism Minister Abang Johari Tun Openg and Sarawak Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Michael Manyin.

– BERNAMA