By Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Jun 17, 11 | MalaysiaKini
Home Minister and former Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein warned his successor Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar that the latter will have to face the consequences if he insists on calling for a march on July 9.
“It doesn’t matter that I’m a former youth chief or not, the (Umno) Youth will have to face whatever the consequences of the action as I had to when I was the Youth head,” he told the media in Putrajaya today, adding “Because it is against the law.”
He said that the police are looking at the march or rally as a security issue and whoever wants to call for it will have to deal with the police.
“Like anybody else, I’ve had to deal with the police (when I was the youth chief). I expect them (Umno Youth) to do the same.
“That’s always my position, nobody is above the law,” he stressed.
To the surprise of many, yesterday the Umno Youth exco decided to call for a rally on the same day as Bersih 2.0 and Perkasa.
Unlike Bersih 2.0’s call to revamp the current electoral system for a free and fair election, Umno Youth seeks to support it.
However, the decision is against the earlier stand of many Umno leaders who had condemned street demonstration after Bersih 2.0 announced the rally.
Members of Puteri Umno and an Umno Youth exco member had lodged police reports against Bersih 2.0, accusing that the rally will create chaos and disrupt the the business of traders.
Certain quarters urge use of ISA
Some quarters such as Malaysian Taxi Executives, a body representing taxi operators, and the Malaysian Council of Ex-Elected Representatives (Mubarak) even went to the extent of urging the authorities to use the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) against Bersih 2.0.
Today, MCA Youth also refused to join its Umno counterpart’s rally, maintaining that such activities would be detrimental to the national economy.
On the other hand, Bersih 2.0 welcomed Umno Youth to hold a counter-rally as it is the rights of every citizen to assemble peacefully.
However, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar (left) had said the police would not approve any permit for the rally or any counter-rally on Jul 9.
He did not rule out the possibility of launching preventive arrests before or during the rallies.
Despite the police warning, Bersih 2.0 have reiterated that they will proceed with the rally.