Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has revealed that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) spent almost twice as much money overseeing the recent “red shirt” rally as it did the #BERSIH4 protest in Kuala Lumpur.
Responding in his capacity as Home Minister, Zahid stated in a written reply in Parliament that the PDRM spent approximately RM4.5 million to keep tabs on the Gathering for Malay Dignity on Malaysia Day, which lasted half a day. In contrast, the police spent only RM2.74 million on its operations surrounding #BERSIH4, even though that demonstration took place across two days.
Zahid also explained that 263 police officers and 3,648 related personnel were deployed to deal with the Red Shirt rally. For #BERSIH4, 191 police officers and 2,149 related officers were deployed.
The statement was in reply to a question by Seremban MP Anthony Loke of the DAP.
“(For both rallies) the police made thorough preparations to control the rallies so that they ran smoothly without any trouble,” Zahid said, as quoted by The Malay Mail Online‘s Shazwan Mustafa Kamal.
Both the #BERSIH4 and Gathering for Malay Dignity demonstrations have shaped up to be the most galvanising – and divisive – in recent Malaysian history, with the former demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak over the ongoing 1MDB scandal, and the latter being a show of force from pro-Malay NGOs in retaliation to “DAP Chinese” disrespect towards Malay privileges and the community’s leaders – namely, Najib.
Red Shirt protesters collided with police personnel in isolated incidents throughout the September 16 rally, with the most notable being the confrontation in front of the entrance to Petaling Street’s Chinatown district, where FRU units and water cannons had to be deployed to disperse angry crowds.
