Police reject Bersih’s Dataran Merdeka request

By Shannon Teoh

April 23, 2012

Maria said Bersih was only requesting for police assistance to handle traffic during the rally. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — City police have told Bersih they will not allow this Saturday’s rally for free and fair elections at Dataran Merdeka due to security reasons. “We regret to inform you that after studying the matter, I, as Dang Wangi police chief, reject your request to organise the event due to security reasons,” Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman wote in the letter sighted by The Malaysian Insider.

We only requested for assistance with traffic control but their reply seems to mean they will not allow the event

Steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah told reporters outside the Dang Wangi police station the letter was hand delivered to Bersih’s secretariat in Petaling Jaya less than an hour before their 3pm meeting to discuss logistics for the sit-in.
“We only requested for assistance with traffic control but their reply seems to mean they will not allow the event,” she said.
She added that when she tried to meet Zulkarnain, police officers told her he is in a meeting and will only be back in the evening.
“So I left my number and asked for an explanation. Anyway, we will meet the NGOs tonight to discuss our next move in light of these developments,” she said.

This comes after Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) stood firm by its decision to prohibit Bersih from using Dataran Merdeka for the rally, threatening this morning to take action against the electoral reforms reform movement if it pushes ahead with the April 28 event.
KL Mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail said he could not understand Bersih’s “defiance” in the matter, pointing out that permission has already been given for the group to use other venues for the event, such as the Cheras football stadium or Stadium Titiwangsa.
But Maria insisted this morning Bersih were not given any alternatives by DBKL and rubbished the previously-given rationale that Dataran Merdeka was reserved for “national-level events” when companies, NGOs and political parties have used the historic square for minor affairs.
She listed McDonald’s Olympic Day Fun Run (July 2011), OCBC Cycle Malaysia (October 2011), Achilles Formula Drift Malaysia (December 2011), Barisan Nasional Youth Ride Fest (February 2012) and the World Kidney Day Run (March 2012) as events that have been held there recently.
The 84 NGOs that form Bersih will meet tonight to discuss its next move following the rejections by both DBKL and city police.