Pro-Anwar rally on with or without police nod

PETALING JAYA: A gathering led by the #KitaLawan group in support of fallen Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on March 7 will go on with or without police approval.
However, #KitaLawan said at a press conference the coalition will meet the police to get their approval to ensure the gathering proceed smoothly.
“We will give our full cooperation to the police and hope they will give the approval,” said the secretariat coordinator, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
He added that whatever be the situation, the gathering will go on as scheduled.
Also at the press conference in Pusat Komas here, were DAP Youth chief Teo Kok Seong, PAS Youth treasurer Mohd Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar and Jingga 13 chief coordinator Fariz Musa.
Nik Nazmi also said the gathering is also aimed at asking Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to step down as prime minister as he had “failed to carry out his duty as the leader of the nation”.
They alleged Najib destroyed the integrity of the judiciary by jailing Anwar as a political prisoner, placing the country’s financial status in dangerous position through the 1MDB scandal, restricting press freedom, and the controversial murder case of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.
“We believe there are many other examples of Najib’s failure as prime minister,” he said.
“Therefore, we are calling on all Malaysians to take this first step to correct the path of our nation’s future by joining the gathering,” he added.
#KitaLawan is a loose coalition involving several Pakatan Rakyat parties as well as several other non-governmental organisations.
The March 7 gathering will be held in front of Sogo shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur at 4pm.
Nik Nazmi denied that the gathering would disrupt the process of Anwar’s appeal for royal pardon.
“The rally will not affect Anwar’s petition for pardon. I do not see any contradiction in political parties and NGO combining (to rally) with the family’s decision to file for royal pardon,” he said.
When asked whether the people have had enough of street rallies as seen in the poor turn-out of participants in several similar gatherings over the Anwar jailing, Nik Nazmi said public support has always remained high.
“Since Anwar was jailed, many gatherings have been held in support of him,” he said.