A coalition of NGOs has issued an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, urging him to put a stop to the ‘red shirt rally’ slated for Wednesday.

The letter by the group Otai Reformis and endorsed by 19 other groups even compared the rally organisers to militants of the self-proclaimed ‘Islamic State’ (Isis), and said Najib should have stepped in from the day reports emerged on the racial issues being played up.

“Don’t allow any Malaysian or any group under the prime minister of Malaysia’s patronage harbour the intention to destroy our beloved Malaysia. The price of independence and peace is a fixed price ( harga mati ) that cannot be fooled around by anyone.

“From the first day it has been exposed that there are racial issues (being played up), Datuk Seri (Najib) should have taken stern action against the group leaders, such as those taken against the Isis supporters, because their ideology is similar,” said the letter signed by Otai Reformis spokesperson Mustapa Mansor ( photo ).

Mustapa went on to explain that the rally organisers are similar to Isis because they force their thinking upon others, without discussion.

The letter also questions Najib for previously giving the green light for Umno members to join the rally.

Group’s last ditch effort to stop rally

Another Otai Reformis spokesperson, Shaiful Ariffin, told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today that the group would attempt to deliver the letter to the Prime Minister’s Office later today.

The letter is endorsed by, among others, the PAS splinter group Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera (Pasma), Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), Permuafakatan Perkampungan Melayu Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (Muafakat), and Jingga 13.

Otai Reformis member Ronnie Liu told the press conference that this is the group’s last ditch effort to stop the rally, having lodged police reports and petitioned the Yang Dipertuan Agong calling for intervention.

After this, the group would only focus its attention on monitoring the red shirt rally on Sept 16 at Petaling Street, in hopes that their presence would help prevent untoward incidents, he said.

This is despite the predominantly Chinese Malaysian traders in the area having announced that it would close its businesses for the day in view of the rally.

The rally, officially known as the Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu rally, is organised by National Silat Federation (Pesaka) and would feature supporters wearing black shirts.

However, another group that was invited to join, dubbed the Himpunan Maruah Melayu, will be wearing red shirts.

Claimed Bersih 4 insulted Malay community

Spokesperson of the latter group, Jamal Md Yunos ( photo ), had previously said that the rally would be held at Padang Merbok, Bukit Bintang, and Petaling Street, in Kuala Lumpur.

He had since changed his stance to say that the rally would only be held at Padang Merbok, where the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had given approval as the venue.

Both groups are holding the protest as a counter-demonstration against the Bersih 4 rally that took place on Aug 29 and 30, which they claimed had insulted the Malay community.

Despite the racial overtones, Pesaka president Ali Rustam had said that those who want to incite racial violence should not come to the rally.

"Those who are angry on a racial basis ( marah perkauman ) and want to create trouble, don't come," he told reporters at a press conference on Sept 12.

However, the Otai Reformis group appear unconvinced by Ali’s ( photo ) statement. Shaiful claims that the rally is not a peaceful assembly as guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.

“Anyone can assemble. We agree; we are not stopping that. But there are elements of violence when posters say, ‘ Cina mandi darah ’ (the Chinese will be bathed in blood), and the T-shirts carry racial sentiments,” he said.

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