Gerakan has demanded stern action be taken against red-shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos and Bersih leader Maria Chin Abdullah as a deterrent, reported The Star.

"Why are Jamal and Maria insisting on proceeding with the rallies, disrespecting the law and police, and setting a bad example for the younger generation?" Gerakan vice-president Dominic Lau was quoted as saying today.

The public should not support the allegedly racially divisive rallies that could scare away foreign investors in Malaysia, he said.

“We recently secured more investments from China to avert an economic crisis.

“As the ringgit weakens further against the US dollar, street demonstrations will only worsen the crisis,” he was reported saying at a press conference held yesterday.

He also urged Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to take stern action against Umno and BN members involved in the rally.

Umno information chief Annuar Musa yesterday said the party has no right to stop party members from attending the red-shirt rally on Saturday, which is headed by Jamal, the Sungai Besar Umno chief, to counter Bersih 5.

'Duty to stop rally'

Lau also slammed opposition leaders who support rallies that might divide the country.

He said inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar and the police force should take responsibility if violence erupts during the rallies and results in casualties.

"It is the duty of the police to stop such illegal rallies," he added.

The police should meet Bersih and red-shirt organisers again to convince them to stop the Saturday rallies, he added.

It would not be a peaceful gathering when two opposing groups take to the streets, he said.

Meanwhile lawyer Eric Paulsen today reminded the authorities section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Act stipulates that police should prevent a counter rally from being held simultaneously with an existing one.