Zahid: Gathering not meant to raise sensitive issues
KUALA LUMPUR: The Umno and Pas rally on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) will be “separate from racial issues”, said Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid, who is former home minister, said the gathering would follow standard operating procedures under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
He confirmed that he would be attending the rally, saying that the gathering was not meant to bring up sensitive matters, especially racial issues.
“The organisers, which are non-governmental organisations that have received a permit from Kuala Lumpur City Hall on police advice, will adhere to all the conditions agreed to in discussions that we had with the authorities,” he said at the Parliament lobby.
Zahid said he did not have an estimate on the number of Umno members attending the rally on Saturday. He, however, said the rally was not about Umno and Pas, but about people at large, and that rallygoers would cooperate with the authorities.
Meanwhile, Parti Amanah Negara vicepresident Datuk Mahfuz Omar reiterated that the rally was irrelevant as the government had said that it would not ratify the convention.
“As such, I don’t think there is any reason for them to go through with the assembly,” he said yesterday.
Mahfuz also rubbished the excuse given by the organisers that they would be at a loss if they did not go through with their plans as hotels and buses had been booked, and T-shirts printed.
“They will only be increasing their losses if they go through with it, plus they need money to spend in the city.
“I also think there are too few demonstrators checking into hotels to make a difference. As for the buses, I am sure the bus companies did not charge them the full price, so cancelling their plans will reduce cost,” he added.