KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — PAS is not barring its members from participating in the “Save Malaysia” rally planned to be held at Kampung Baru here, party vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said today.
Mohd Amar, who is also Kelantan legislative assembly speaker, said the Islamist party has given no official instructions for members to join or stay away from the rally, organised by groups supportive of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition that is scheduled to start at 2pm at Masjid Jamek in the capital city, Utusan Malaysia reported.
“I was not directly involved in the discussion about the rally, but understood that it was a statement about the people’s feelings towards the government of the day.
“For us, there is no problem if anyone wants to participate in the gathering because this is the people’s way of expressing their feelings. There are no official bans or instructions so far,” he was quoted as telling reporters in Kota Baru, Kelantan this morning.
He claimed the federal unity government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had failed to solve problems faced by citizens and had provided no clear direction after nine months in power.
He claimed this to be the reason for the public demonstration of unhappiness.
A group of Malay Muslim organisations comprising Ummah, student group Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia and Perkasa have banded together, calling themselves the Save Malaysia Movement, to organise the rally to coincide with Malaysia Day today.
The movement had previously been reported to be backed by PN parties PAS, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, and Gerakan.
Parti Pejuang Tanahair later announced that it will join the rally too.
The rally is planned for 2pm at Masjid Kampung Baru here.
PN Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the coalition would lead the rally to protest the discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) granted on September 8 to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was trial for 47 charges of misappropriating RM31 millon from the charitable organisation he founded called Yayasan Akalbudi.
He said Zahid’s DNAA has disillusioned Malaysians, requiring the rally to “Save Malaysia” from the corrupt in a callback to the 2016 Bersih rally calling for Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign as the prime minister at the time over the 1MDB scandal.
He also added the rally also focus on protesting the country’s legal system which is alleged to be in an acute state.
A DNAA means an accused person has not been cleared and can be tried with the same charges again at a later date.
Police top brass including its Inspector General Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, and Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun have all warned the public against participating in the planned rally.
IGP Razarudin said the rally is not the way forward to save Malaysia as its sovereignty is not being threatened, adding that the gathering could disrupt activities on a public holiday and cause public disorder and disharmony.
The police top brass have said stern action will be taken against the organisers and participants if the rally proceeds.
