Speaking at a press conference at Sunway Nexis here today, Gerhana President Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah called the Red Shirts gangsters whose actions will have adverse effects on the economy and public peace.
“The police need to act swiftly and sternly against them and if the police need help, then they should call on the army,” he said.
He said that although Bersih 2.0 were equally wrong, for now they seemed like a peaceful movement compared with the Red Shirts.
However, he said the same police action should be accorded to Bersih should they act as violently.
He suggested that the police take Bersih 2.0 Chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and Red Shirts leader Jamal Yunos into custody until the issue blew over.
“The police should act sooner. Put both the Bersih and Red Shirts leaders under remand so that peace can be maintained in the country,” Ridzuan said.
He also called for the Red Shirts to stop saying that they were doing the things they were doing to defend Prime Minister Najib Razak.
“Stop using the Prime Minister’s name just to seem as if the Prime Minister is supporting you or condoning your actions. He is not.”
Also present was Ikatan Rakyat Insan Muslim Malaysia (IRIMM) President Amir Amsaa Alla Pitchay who said that nobody wants another May 13 incident to occur.
“Many who talk about the May 13 incident weren’t around when it happened. I remember I was still in school and it took years before things finally cooled down and went back to normal.
“To the Red Shirts and Bersih, think about what is good for the rakyat when you want to act on something, don’t try to be a hero. It is terribly sad that this is happening.”
The Red Shirts had reportedly attacked Bersih supporters taking part in a series of road convoys around towns across the country.
The convoys are intended to publicise a rally planned for Nov 19 in Kuala Lumpur by the electoral reform group, to press for Najib’s resignation as well as for institutional reforms.
Jamal was reported to have accused police of obstructing the Red Shirts supporters at locations where the Bersih convoy was moving through. Police had also arrested three youths from the Red Shirts over an attack on a Bersih motorcyclist.