Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim has no objections to members of the public wearing yellow when taking part in the 55th Merdeka Day celebrations at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.

NONE “Yellow or red, we don’t care on that day. All rakyat can attend. Those who arrive first will get priority,” he told Utusan Malaysia when asked on the ‘Janji Demokrasi’ (Promise of Democracy) countdown rally.

“We did not allocate this place for BN people or other groups. If PKR people want to come, we really welcome them but don’t do nasty things. Don’t blow trumpets, don’t use offensive language. Come here as citizens who love unity regardless of party.

“We ask them to come in a crowd. If they want to wear yellow clothes, go ahead. We also have yellow clothes in our procession. The colour yellow does not belong to PKR, PAS or DAP but us, we can wear it any time.

“We’ll see how the situation develops at both Dataran Merdeka and the Bukit Jalil National Stadium."

Rais reiterated that this is the first time during his 10 years of chairing the Merdeka Day organising committee that the opposition has exploited the nation’s independence for their political interests.

‘Gabungan Janji’, a coalition comprising 47 NGOs, will hold the ‘Janji Demokrasi’ countdown from 10pm to midnight to pressure the government into fulfilling its promises, including for clean and fair elections.

The coalition has called on participants to wear yellow that night.

However, ministry secretary-general Kamaruddin Siaraf had earlier issued a statement urging the police not to allow the ‘Janji Demokrasi’ rally as it would interrupt the ministry’s public address system set up for the official celebrations on Friday.

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