KUALA LUMPUR - Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed has declared his support for the police's decision to ban the Bersih 4.0 rally, saying that there is no other country in the world with a police force as tolerant as Malaysia's.
It was earlier reported that police will not allow the Bersih 4.0 rally to go on now that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is not allowing the gathering to be held at Dataran Merdeka and Padang Merbok.
DBKL also recommended that the rally be held a week after Merdeka Day celebrations on Aug 31.
Nur Jazlan told reporters on Thursday that the police made a wise decision in banning the rally.
"Bersih should respect the police. The police are responsible for the safety of the people. They were given power by the government to enforce the law.
"No other country in the world has a police force that is as tolerant as the Malaysian police," he said, when met at Perdana Felda Hall here.
Nur Jazlan said having the rally at the two venues will disrupt preparations for Merdeka Day celebrations.
"Preparations such as dress rehearsals will be held on the few days leading to Merdeka Day.
"If Bersih decides to continue demonstrating in the same venues, it will disturb the preparations and incur big cost on the police.
"Police have to control not only demonstrators, but also participants who are rehearsing for the Merdeka Day celebrations," he explained.
According to Nur Jazlan, participating in the rally was not a measure of one's patriotism to their country.
"In my opinion, Malaysians are patriotic in their own way. Not wanting to participate in the rally does not make them unpatriotic.
"Just because some people in Bersih claim that the rally is to uphold democracy- it does not mean the rest of the 30mil people in the country are not patriotic.
"Commemorating Merdeka Day and the police officers who sacrificed their lives fighting communism is more patriotic then joining a demonstration," he said. - ANN
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