Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim today disparaged “desperate parties” who are making use of the communist ideology to drum up support for the planned July 9 rally.

rais yatim pc 020709 01 “These are the acts of desperate people who planned the rally on July 9. They see this as an opportunity to stir up dissent and seize power,” bemoaned Rais ( right ).

Met in the Parliament lobby by reporters, the minister was asked to comment on the 30 PSM supporters being investigated by Penang police under section 122 of the Penal Code for “waging war against the King”.

“Spreading communism is against the law. It is evil and illegal,” he said.

He contends that the prohibition against communism is stamped in our laws and the spirit of the constitution, citing 1948 regulations and the Police Act of 1967, which he believed enumerated such restrictions.

“As such, it is appropriate for us to take action, this is for the survival of the majority, not about the minority.”

He said the BN, which has obtained legitimacy by the majority vote, has the right to act against the troublemakers and it is proper that the police take action.

azlan Rais suggested instead that those in the disgruntled minority not take part in what he called illegal demonstrations, but to use proper channels to air their grievances.

“Use Parliment, use dialogue, you don’t need to come in the thousands to Kuala Lumpur to demonstrate. This is rampasan kuasa sosial! (social overthrow),” he complained.

The allegations by the police are being vehemently refuted by PSM, who called them “ridiculous and farfetched”.

Pakatan MPs have condemned the arrests and subsequent investigation of the PSM 30 as being a witch hunt for supporters of the upcoming Bersih 2.0 rally being planned for July 9.

The rally, a follow up of the Bersih rally in 2007 which saw nearly 40,000 people take to the streets of the federal capital of Kuala Lumpur, aims to push the government and Election Commission to enact electoral reforms.

VIDEO | 1.29 mins

'Since when are T-shirts deemed as waging war?'

PSM's Nasir pours scorn on 'nonsensical' Rais

Emergency motion proposed to free Sg Siput MP

Penang Bar comes to aid of detained PSM activists

Communist bogey: Will Agong stop the madness?