Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan (Pesaka) president Ali Rustam today said that the rally organised by the group on Sept 16 has nothing to do with the Himpunan Maruah Melayu (Rally for Malay Dignity).

Therefore, Ali said those who want to incite racial violence should stay away from the Sept 16 rally by the silat group.

The Himpunan Maruah Melayu , dubbed the red shirt rally, is also planned on Sept 16 and was previously reported to be organised by the silat group.

"Those who are angry on a racial basis ( marah perkauman ) and want to create trouble, don't come," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said those who want to attend the silat rally, called ‘ Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu ’ (United People's rally), need not wear red nor be Malay.

"You can wear anything you want [...] All Malaysians are welcome," the former Malacca chief minister said.

Different rallies, same cause

While seemingly split from the red shirt, the cause for the rally to be held at Padang Merbok, Kuala Lumpur remains the same.

Ali said Pesaka is holding the rally because Malay pride was hurt by the Bersih 4 protest.

In particular he said there was no reason to stomp on the photos of Malay leaders like Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

He also said that Bersih had insulted "national principles" by trying to topple the government via street demonstrations.

"But we don't want to fight, so we will gather peacefully in accordance with the law," he said.

He added Pesaka is not responsible for anything that happens if there are groups marching from Bukit Bintang and Petaling Street.

However he said he will not stop the red shirts from joining the Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu in Padang Merbok, and had in fact invited them.

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