YOURSAY The red shirt rally was an abject failure which served to divide an already polarised nation.

Provocation, racial slurs mar 'red shirts' rally

Armchair Newspaper: This is a double-edged sword and dangerous game PM Najib Razak is playing. This incessant Chinese-bashing exercise is to shore up his waning political support within Umno.

The open display of racial vilifications has most definitely destroyed any hope of winning back Chinese support for BN.

It will place the BN parties from Sarawak and Sabah in an untenable position and strengthen their bargaining hands with Umno in future political and federal-state negotiations. This is death knell for MCA and Gerakan.

Internationally, Najib will be shunned. He is not only the only PM of a democracy befuddled with so many financial scandals, he is now an avowed racist PM and a Sinophobe at that.

I don't think yesterday's "massive" show of support will save his political career. In fact it only shows that Najib is a wounded and desperate man, quite prepared to let the country burn to save his own skin.

Swipenter: What are the objectives of the red shirts? They are just a ignorant mob running around like a headless chicken chanting racist slogans and provocations against the Chinese. They have completely no idea about the history of the country.

After 52 years since the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, it is indeed sad to see such a brainwashed and ignorant but potentially violent mob (endorsed by the Umno) let loose to provoke and instill fear unto others.

Aurum: What did they expect the outcome would be when there were clear hints of extremism and violence weeks before the rally.

It was expected when you have immoral individuals ‘bought’ to create racial disharmony to divert attention from the main issue. Spin doctors are clearly at work trying to protect one individual. It’s sad to see this in this day and age.

Speechless: Yes, it is really sad to see so many people in red shirts being brainwashed and manipulated into championing an extremely racist cause.

The fact that some of the protestors claimed that this country belongs to the Malays and that they alone "fought" for the country's independence clearly shows their complete ignorance of our history.

The red shirt rally was in no way peaceful with protestors chanting seditious statements and hurling objects at the police.

They should have learned from Bersih on how to organise a rally, with rally goers who are peaceful and who clean up the city after the event.

The red shirt rally was an abject failure which served to divide an already polarised nation.

Justice Pao: It is indeed sad! I was there at the Bersih rally and proudly sang ‘Negaraku’ with great patriotism on Merdeka Day for a better and united Malaysia, but we have those who attended the red shirt rally singing and shouting racism and disunity on the day marking the birth of Malaysia.

Odysseus: Just because you believe "Malaysia Melayu Punya", you gave away RM2.6 billion and counting.

By the time you wake up and realise what you have given away, there's nothing left for your next generation other than a barren land left behind by the ‘robbers’ whom you worshipped as your leaders.

Lim Chong Leong: Is this what the BN agreed to disagree but ultimately allowed to happen? This is clear proof that the idea of BN being a coalition of race-based parties cannot protect minority races.

This Malaysia Day that was supposed to be a day of historical pride and patriotic joy has turned out into a dark day of national shame.

Turvy: Malays are honourable as any other people. They are not deluded by the arguments that brought the few of them to the streets yesterday.

Conversely, those who participated in the scuffle in Petaling Street are not representative of the Malays but only of the criminal elements of this society.

RM2.6Billion Duit Haram: Why must the police and Najib allow the march to take place? The intentions of the red shirt marchers are already crystal clear, made obvious by their inflammatory and incendiary slogans on the T-shirts.

And their defence of Malay dignity is a mere excuse to create trouble. Just because Bersih 4 had more Chinese, it was accused of insulting Malay dignity.

Even in Bersih 4, there were at least tens of thousands Malays among them. The red shirt leaders purposely wanted to turn it into race issue when there wasn't any.

And, more despicable is the fact that Najib and DPM Ahmad Zahid Hamidi encouraged the event by allowing party members to participate in the march.

Ferdtan: With the violence in Petaling Street and the fracas between the police and the protesters, will the police arrest the organiser, Pesaka leader and former Malacca chief minister Ali Rustam and also head of Malay NGOs Jamal Mohd Yunos?

If not, then the police are showing double standard since they arrested the organisers of the peaceful Bersih 4, including Maria Chin Abdullah.

Consciously Malaysian: I chose to return to Malaysia - twice, once from Singapore and the other time, from United States.

After seeing how much some of these red-shirt folk have been indoctrinated to hate us, I think I've made a grave mistake of believing that people will know the difference between right and wrong; and will not back wrongdoers just because they are from the same race and religion.

Can't they see that wanting to depose a corrupt Najib has nothing to do with race? So this ‘pendatang’, ‘penumpang’, ‘babi’ will look at moving out again - my kids should not be subject to this hatred just because of my poor decision to return home.

B.S.: Anyone still wondering the difference between the yellow shirt and the red shirt rallies?

One ended with a grand, heart-warming rendition by tens of thousands of ‘Negara Ku’, the other a tired crowd of disgruntled racists looking for their way back to the buses that they were brought in.

And I think the clean-up bill would far exceed RM65,000.

Gaji Buta: Let's move on. It’s not as bad as many expected. Racial slurs were no different to that you would see at a school football match between a SK (national school) and SKJC (Chinese school). Chinese reporters right in ground zero were not harmed. They have real balls of steel.

After yesterday, everyone should have a better idea of the society we live in and the government we have. If there are those who think references to DAP was only aimed at DAP, good for you.

The positive thing from this is probably now it is clearer to many on how to vote in next GE.

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