The Sri Gading Umno division of Johor estimates that 1,000 of its members will attend the Sept 16 rally in Kuala Lumpur to counter the Bersih 4 rally held during the Merdeka weekend.

Division chief Ab Aziz Kaprawi said this is to show support to the government and to negate sentiments shown by Bersih 4 rally-goers who stomped on pictures of national leaders.

The deputy minister said such acts of insult shown at Bersih 4 were unreasonable and threatened racial unity.

“My division and I will attend this rally. I estimate that 1,000 of our members will participate.

“Maybe more Malays will join this rally after seeing how Muslim leaders were insulted (at Bersih 4) by the mostly Chinese participants. It challenges the patience of Malays,” Aziz ( photo ) said.

The Umno supreme council member added that Sri Gading Umno will not sponsor its members to attend the event.

Malay rights pressure groups plan to hold the rally in retaliation against the Bersih 4 rally, which they say was dominated by the Chinese and DAP.

Police have barred the rally from being held, citing security concerns.

However, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also an Umno vice-president, yesterday gave the greenlight to Umno to hold the red shirt rally.