A coalition comprising organisations representing Muslim consumers, bumiputera traders and Internal Security Act supporters has vowed to sue organisers of last Saturday’s anti-ISA rally for unspecified damages.

Led by the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM), the coalition did not name those they are planning to take to court.

PPIM secretary-general Ma’amor Osman promised that “all will be revealed once we have initiate legal actions”.

He added that the coalition is currently identifying the individuals and organisations who are the “puppet masters” of the rally.

According to Ma’amor, the exact amount of the damages to be claimed would be based on the “material and psychological” losses suffered by traders and consumers on that day.

NONE Last Saturday, thousands of police personnel fired rounds after rounds of tear gas to disperse 20,000 anti-ISA protesters in the heart of the Kuala Lumpur.

Aside from PPIM, the backers of the legal action are Pewaris, which aborted its plan to organise a counter-rally, Kuala Lumpur Chamber of Commerce and the Federal Territory Bumiputera Traders Association.

Ma’amor said at a press conference today that PPIM and its allies would help the affected individuals make police reports before proceeding with their legal action.

About 1,000 individual reports are expected to be made in the next two to three weeks.

Organisers held responsible for FDI fall

On Wednesday, Federal Territory Bumiputera Traders Association president Rosli Sulaiman lodged a police report against Anti-ISA Movement (GMI) claiming that 1,000 petty traders and hawkers had suffered RM10 million in damages during the anti-ISA rally.

Ma’amor also accused the police for not fulfilling their responsibility to prevent the incident, despite already knowing about the rally beforehand. He said that actions may also be taken against government authorities.

NONE Told about Federal Territory Minister Raja Nong Chik’s statement yesterday that the government would not compensate the losses suffered by traders, Ma’amor said that while agencies entrusted with public order like the police may face legal action from them, the government shall answer for their action in the next general elections.

According to Pewaris chief economic advisor Annuar Zaini, who was also present at today’s press conference, the damage to the nation’s economy is more serious than that suffered by the consumers and traders.

pewaris saman penganjur demo He said the bad press from the rally had already lowered Malaysia’s economic sovereignty rating. Tourists and foreign investors are already shying away from the country, he claimed.

According to Annuar ( far left ), the damages amounted to “not in the millions... but billions” of ringgit.

He warned anti-ISA rally organisers that if Malaysia’s foreign direct investments were to show a decline in the next three months, “Pewaris shall hunt them down” and make them pay for it.