Ali Tinju targets a million ‘Aku Melayu’ participants

This rally is meant to counter the one being organised by Bersih 2.0.

PETALING JAYA: “Red Shirts” leader Mohd Ali Baharom hopes to gather a million individuals dressed in “Aku Melayu” (“I am Malay”) T-shirts to gather in protest of the rally planned by Bersih 2.0.

Mohd Ali, better known as Ali Tinju, said this in response to another Umno supporters’ group, led by the party’s Sungai Besar division chief Jamal Md Yunos, who over the weekend claimed to be ready to assemble 50,000 individuals of all races to partake in his version of the red-shirt rally.

“Our red movement involves only the Malays. We will move separately from Jamal,” Ali said when contacted by FMT.

“I heard Jamal’s gathering will see participation by different races. Maybe, 40% of them will be Chinese. If he can do that, it would then be the best kind of movement.

“I applaud him, but he has to prove that the Chinese will come down (to the ground) with him.”

Jamal yesterday announced that he had printed 50,000 T-shirts to be sold to participants of the “Red Shirts Rally 2.0”, which is meant to counter the Bersih 5 rally being organised by the reform group that is calling for Prime Minister Najib Razak’s resignation.

The date for the Bersih rally has yet to be announced, but Ali is already confident that at least one million Umno supporters will join in his counter-rally.

Ali had earlier offered 5,000 youths an opportunity to carry out charity work while wearing his red shirts in a show of support for Najib’s administration.

He said he would begin the interview process in October.

“In November, we will do charity work around Sepang and Bandar Tun Razak. We will train them first before mobilising them to pre-determined locations. We are not bringing these kids down the wrong path.”

The youths would be required to wear a T-shirt with the words “Mempertahankan kerajaan, pemerintah dan negara” (“Defending the government, rulers and country”) at programmes where government officials will attend.

The offer is open to youths aged 21 and above residing around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.