Umno Supreme Council member Nazri Aziz said this in response to the promises of Red-Shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos and Gerakan Merah’s head Ali Tinju to hold a counter-rally on the same day Bersih 5 is scheduled to take place.
“That is their right to do so. Every action will definitely invite a reaction,” he said in an interview with FMT.
“So if Bersih wants to organise a rally to ask Najib to step down, do they think Najib doesn’t have his own supporters? There will be a reaction from his supporters.
“We have the Peaceful Assembly Act and if Bersih wants to rally on Nov 19, they (the Red-Shirts and the Gerakan Merah) have the right to counter as long as they, too, meet all the requirements provided under the Act.”
Nazri, however, condemned Ali Tinju’s threat of harm against Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, adding the latter might have acted emotionally.
“If the police approve (the Bersih 5 rally), and we take an illegal action to stop it, then that’s not right. I don’t agree with it, and it shouldn’t be done.
“Because when you want to demonstrate, then they (Bersih) can’t stop you either.
“Both can’t sabotage each other.”
FMT last week reported that Ali, an army veteran whose real name is Mohd Ali Baharom, had warned Chin to “watch her back” or she might no longer “walk on this earth”.
His remarks came following Chin’s confirmation that the fifth instalment of the Bersih rally would take place on Nov 19.
“Don’t challenge us or we will make it so that her (Chin) legs point upwards and her head points downward to the ground (kaki dia ke atas, kepala dia ke bawah jalan),” Ali had said.
After several police reports were lodged against him and questions asked as to why no action had been taken against him by the police, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar yesterday said police had, in fact, started questioning Ali under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation.