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Now Umno Youth also wants Stadium Merdeka

By Shannon Teoh

July 08, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Umno Youth has decided to revive its Patriot counter-rally against Bersih tomorrow by applying to gather in Stadium Merdeka — the same venue chosen for a rally by the electoral reform movement.

This comes despite city police obtaining a court order barring Khairy and 90 other leaders of Umno Youth, Bersih and Perkasa from entering the city tomorrow in an effort to lock out all three planned rallies.

“This is our right to gather, according to the constitution. We don’t want to clash with anyone, especially police, but this is our democratic right. We have discussed it and the Umno Youth exco has unanimously decided to accept any action that can be taken against us,” Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin(picture) said.

He told a press conference today that the Youth wing made the about-turn after “the opposition rejected the government’s advice to hold the rally outside of KL.”

“This afternoon, we will make an application to gather in Stadium Merdeka. We have applied, we were the first to apply for a police permit on June 24,” the Umno Youth chief said, showing reporters the letter sent to the Dang Wangi police station.

The Rembau MP added that the application was rejected on July 6 but the Youth wing would appeal the decision today.

Khairy, however, denied that the purpose of Patriot meeting in Stadium Merdeka was to create a confrontation with Bersih, who has also insisted on gathering in the historical venue despite the government and police advising the coalition of 62 NGOs to move outside of the city.

“We are not interested in clashing with anybody. Crowd control is up to police,” he said.