DBKL workers are seen cleaning up Padang Merbok after Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu in Kuala Lumpur earlier in the afternoon on September 16, 2015. — Pictures by Choo Choy MayKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Umno minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan declined today to state whether he would be sending the organisers of the #Merah169 rally a clean-up bill, after previously saying he will charge Bersih 2.0 for a similar rally in the city.
Abdul Rahman admitted that many Malaysians on social media have asked whether he was going to instruct his officers to personally deliver the clean-up bill to today’s rally organisers as he did for the organisers of last month’s Bersih 4.
“I don’t even want to talk about that, the rally is not even over yet, let’s talk about it once it is over.
“People are just trying to be petty, I don’t want to be petty,” the urban wellbeing, housing and local government minister told Malay Mail Online in response to queries about the clean-up bill for #Merah169.
Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Jamal Md Yunos who heads the Coalition of Malay NGOs that took part in the rally said the organisers are prepared to pay whatever damages incurred as a result of today’s event.
“This rubbish, the organisers have already discussed with DBKL (KL City Hall) and we agree to pay whatever amount to them. We’ve discussed it,” Jamal told reporters.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Mhd Amin Nordin confirmed that the bill will be sent to the rally organisers.
“For sure we will send them a bill! Alam Flora is currently cleaning up Padang Merbok and they will continue the clean-up, do the estimated cost and then we will submit it to Pesaka.”
“The clean-up bill for Bersih was about RM65,000… this one (is) roughly about RM60,000 also, but the actual bill will be submitted to them in a week’s time,” he told Malay Mail Online.
DBKL workers are seen cleaning up Padang Merbok after Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu in Kuala Lumpur earlier in the afternoon on September 16, 2015.Thousands of red-shirted people were bussed into the federal capital this morning to take part in a rally officially called “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” or the United People’s Assembly, but which has drawn grave concern among traders in the city centre and ethnic Chinese business leaders.
The “red shirts” first gathered at several points in the city, including Kompleks Kraf Malaysia in Jalan Conlay, the Putra World Trade Centre and the National Mosque before marching through major roads to converge at Padang Merbok near Parliament.
The rally, said to be in support of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership, is a counter to last month’s mammoth two-day Bersih 4 gathering calling for the prime minister’s resignation.
The ruling Malay party has insisted that it does not endorse the event, which has also been alternately called “Himpunan Maruah Melayu”, but has not prohibited its members from participating in today’s demonstration organised by martial arts group Pesaka.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/rahman-dahlan-petty-to-talk-about-merah169-clean-up-bill#sthash.TnRim1Ax.dpuf
