What Are Najib And UMNO Ministers Saying About Bersih 4 And Tun M's Surprise Appearance?

"We want to celebrate independence, there are some people who want to show their feelings at the historic place in Merdeka Square.

"Don't they understand, are they that shallow and poor in their patriotism and love for their motherland? Don't they understand the country was built on the blood and sweat of our freedom fighters?

"From the era of Mat Kilau, Tok Janggut and Umno freedom fighters to our soldiers and police, who died as martyrs, because we want to ensure the independence of our country," he said when officiating the Jerantut Umno delegates' meeting on 29 August.

"Even if they want to gather, choose a time and place that will not be provocative. Whatever differences in opinion or ideology between us, National Day should not be a stage for political conflict," Najib said in an audio recording uploaded on his blog.

He said the Merdeka celebration should be a time where rakyat put aside their differences and celebrate it with patriotism.

He pointed out that national heroes who have fought for the country's independence right down to school-goers have prepared hard for the Merdeka parade.

"Would it be appropriate for this (Bersih 4) gathering to be held at the time and place so close to our Merdeka Day? Think about it," he said.

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"Those who wear this yellow attire, who are they, they want to discredit our good name, scribble black coal on Malaysia's face to the outside world, when in reality, this is their country because of UMNO's struggle they are successful," he said.

“There might have been 20,000 people at the rally, as reported by some media, but I am sure only 20,000 are a little dissatisfied. The rest of the Malaysian population are with the government,” he was quoted as saying by The Star Online.

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“What is 20,000, we can gather hundreds of thousands. FELDA settlers alone could make the numbers,” he was quoted saying further.

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"We find that the module used by Bersih is similar to that used to topple governments Arab Spring style where there is no clear leader or organisation and social media is used.

"When the governments in Libya, Yemen fell, the people suffered and some had to flee to other countries. In the end, who was responsible (for the rallies)?

"This is what Bersih is attempting," he told reporters after launching the Selangor-level Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen's Day in Kuala Selangor.

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Shabery said he was not surprised when outsiders supported Bersih 4 because they wanted to see an unstable and insecure Malaysia. He said it could not be denied that many supported the rally but, in the end, the people would suffer the consequences.

"Bersih does not bring any good to the country. It is saddening that the rally is disrupting preparations for the National Day celebration on Monday," he said.

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“Arrest them. It is an illegal assembly. Catch each and everyone of them,” Azian had said, adding that UMNO too could mobilise people if it wanted to.

“I’m confident we can get 200,000 to the ground. We will get Pak Lah (Tun Ahmad Badawi). It will be blue and red versus yellow,” he said in clear reference to Dr Mahathir’s appearance at the rally in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night.

“The police are monitoring the people behind it. They are listening to every word that’s being uttered. We know what is happening," he said.

Zahid Hamidi said among the legal action that could be taken against them are the Peaceful Assembly Act, the Sedition Act, the Penal Code and Police Act.

He also reminded the parties concerned not to blame the authorities if action was taken against them.

"I agree with Tan Sri IGP (Khalid Abu Bakar), dare to do, dare to take responsibility. Don't accuse the authorities, especially the government of being despotic because in reality they are cruel to themselves," he said.

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"We (the Malays) are often challenged because they (DAP) consider us weak... So they try to put us at loggerheads with one another," he was quoted as saying when speaking at the Ipoh Timor Umno division annual meet on 30 August.

The racial composition of the rally became a focal point, when unlike previous protests, there was dismal Malay participation in Bersih 4. UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia, in its Sunday edition Mingguan Malaysia, stated on its frontpage that DAP dominated Bersih 4.

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Zahid Hamidi said Dr Mahathir’s arrival at the rally had added pressure on the police, which had to look after his safety. The Home Minister however, declined to comment whether police would take action against Dr Mahathir for his presence at the rally.

"I leave it up to the police," he said.

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Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said that even if the former premier did not see eye to eye with the country’s current leadership and the direction the nation was taking, affiliating himself with the Opposition was unacceptable and rather hypocritical.

“During the demonstrations in 1998, during his administration, he clearly stated that street demonstrations were not the proper approach to voice grievances, let alone a means to bring down the government. He must be aware of the impact that the rally has on safety and the dangers if these demonstrations are left unchecked,” wrote the minister on his official Facebook page today.

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“I am very disappointed that Tun M (Mahathir) turned up and ‘bersekongkol’ (collaborated) with Bersih,” newly-minted UMNO minister Datuk Seri Panglima Salleh Said Keruak told delegates at the Malay party’s Sungai Besar Umno division meeting on 29 August.

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“For me, Tun Dr Mahathir’s presence at the rally shows that he agrees with Bersih and what they do. That encourages people to participate in street demonstrations. It means that he has changed his stance,” added the Communications and Multimedia minister.

"Dr Mahathir's presence at the Bersih 4 gathering yesterday is very shocking and disappointing.

"Finally, Tun (Dr Mahathir) himself, a staunch opponent of road demonstrations is involved in one," Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also UMNO Supreme Council member, told reporters after opening the Beluran UMNO division delegates meeting.

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Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the collective editorial team of the UMNO-mouthpiece, said that Dr Mahathir had seen a series of "illegal and wild protests" from supporters of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He was referring to the 1998 "reformasi" period after Dr Mahathir, who was the prime minister then, sacked his deputy Anwar, triggering a wave of mass demonstrations and protests in Kuala Lumpur.

"He never backed down and in fact, had always slammed the culture of illegal assemblies despite it being seen as a movement of the people by the foreign media and by Anwar himself," Awang wrote in Mingguan Malaysia, the weekend edition of Utusan Malaysia.

"For the Bersih organisers and participants, it is seen as a sign of his support towards the rally. But all the feedback we received, especially from Malays, expresses discomfort and anger with Dr Mahathir, who had always rejected Bersih."

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Before the rally, Nur Jazlan urged people not to take part in Bersih 4, warning that anarchists may try to create chaos to instigate police into using high-handed tactics against protesters. He said previous Bersih rallies had turned violent because politicians hijacked Bersih’s objectives of a peaceful assembly.