Rais: Illegal rally to discredit PM's leadership

KUALA TERENGGANU: The illegal rally in the federal capital today aims to bring down the image of the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who has already achieved numerous successes through the implementation of the 1Malaysia concept and economic transformation.

Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the illegal rally had been planned by a group who had their own agenda.

He said the opposition leaders would have liked if any of the protesters were injured so that they could blame the Royal Malaysia Police and lodge a claim against the government.

Thus, those participating in the illegal rally were asked to withdraw and that wisdom should be exercised in such a critical situation, he told Bernama after attending a meeting with the state directors of agencies under the ministry here, today.

He said the illegal rally in Kuala Lumpur should be taken as a demarcation line for the Malays to think about the future and not to listen to leaders who wished to rise up by using other people as a tool.

"I am puzzled why the Malays particularly do not feel that they have been divided in such a situation.

"Where is the love and loyalty of the people (Malays), who laud Islam as the teaching of Allah and that we should not be divided, and yet we don't see that this (split) has happened," he said.

Rais said the people should realise that there were opposition leaders who were now clapping because a split had occurred especially among the Malays.

"Are not the members of PAS and Umno from the same religion and race, are they without any thought? I am making this call as someone who had long seen this split and divergent cause...let us sit together at the negotiation table.

"Don't be too loyal to Anwar Ibrahim (Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) who wants to create agitation, or Ambiga (the organising chairman of the illegal rally, Datuk S. Ambiga) who has no specific struggle. It's easy to become 'Si Kitol' like in the 'Sejarah Melayu' (Malay Annals)," he said.

Rais also criticised the group for choosing to hold street demonstrations whereas other channels could have been used to express their opinon and intentions such as the State Legislative Assembly or Parliament.