Rally could affect tourism, trade negatively: Mah Siew Keong

KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong said the planned Malaysia Day "Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu" in Bukit Bintang may agitate already tensed race relations in addition to disrupting tourism and trade.
Mah was officiating Gerakan Kuala Lumpur Annual Delegates conference and noted that many delegates present expressed similar concerns about the Sept 16 rally.
"The delegates are concerned that the rally will be disruptive. With the media now having global coverage, if things go wrong there it will reflect badly on Malaysia. Trade and tourism will be badly affected as a result," he told a press conference at Menara PGRM today.
Mah urged all Malaysians to act logically instead of trying to be heroes to their respective races by acting provocatively and extremely, which will inflame racial tensions further.
An Anti-Bersih group, dubbed the "Red Shirts", initially planned to organise a counter-protest to coincide with the Bersih 4 rally on Aug 29 and Aug 30, which attracted more than 100,000.
However, Red Shirts leader Datuk Jamal Md Yunos cancelled the assembly the day before the Bersih 4 rally and had also denied that they are behind the Sept 16 rally.
Jamal had also pledged to rally a million people on Oct 10 in a show of support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, at Low Yat Plaza, the scene of a racial riot just months before.
Mah said there are quarters currently seeking to spread the culture of hate in Malaysia and leaders need to play their roles in stemming the tide of extremism.