10 January 2013

Stadium Merdeka - ok ma...


Penganjur Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat hari ini mengumumkan bahawa pengurusan Stadium Merdeka membenarkan mereka menggunakan tempat bersejarah berkenaan bagi perhimpunan 12 Januari.

Pengerusi penganjur himpunan itu Mohamad Sabu berkata pihaknya menerima surat keizinan bagi menggunakan stadium pada kira-kira jam 2.30 petang tadi.

Dalam surat berkenaan, pihak stadium juga menetapkan syarat agar penganjur membayar RM75,000 sebagai wang pendahuluan untuk menggunakan stadium berkenaan, katanya.

"Kita akan tunaikan," kata timbalan presiden PAS yang menambah, pihaknya akan menghantar delegasi untuk berbincang dengan pengurusan stadium mengenai aspek keselamatan dan persiapan perhimpunan tersebut.

"Kita akan menghantar jawatankuasa untuk berunding dengan pengurusan stadium mengenai apa yang boleh dan apa yang tidak boleh (dilakukan), yang dikenakan oleh pihak stadium," katanya yang turut mengucapkan terima kasih kepada pengurusan Stadium Merdeka.


Dalam sidang media hari ini, Mohamad berkata seramai 5,000 orang anggota unit amal akan dikerahkan untuk menjaga keselamatan sepanjang perhimpunan berkenaan.

Sementara itu, naib presiden PKR Tian Chua pula berkata, penganjur juga akan membincangkan dengan pihak stadium mengenai kapasiti hadirin bagi perhimpunan tersebut.

Pakatan Rakyat Selangor pada hari Isnin lalu dilaporkan akan membawa seramai 300,000 orang terdiri daripada aktivis dan penyokong parti bagi menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan peserta seramai 1 juta orang.

Satu laporan Sin Chew Daily hari ini bagaimanapun menyatakan bahawa pengurusan stadium menetapkan bahwa jumlah peserta tidak boleh melebihi jumlah 30,000 – yang merupakan kapasiti maksimum stadium berkenaan.

Laporan itu menyebut, syarat berkenaan bagi memastikan struktur stadium berkenaan, yang dikategorikan sebagai bangunan warisan, akan terpelihara.

Ketika dihubungi lewat petang ini, Mohamad Sabu berkata beliau tidak mempunyai maklumat mengenai perkara itu dan akan membincangkannya dengan pengurusan stadium, esok.- malaysiakini



 OK to use of Stadium Merdeka for Jan 12 rally...

Pakatan Rakyat’s application to hold its mega-rally at Stadium Merdeka on Saturday has been approved by the management of the venue.

"The management responded to the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat organising committee that the application to use the Stadium Merdeka has been approved," tweeted Batu MP Tian Chua who sits on the organising committee.


He said the committee is meeting to finalise preparations for the rally, to be held from 2pm to 5pm.

Bernama has since reported the stadium management Merdeka Heritage Trust said among the requirements set is to ensure that the gathering was limited to 30,000 people.

"The condition is to ensure the gathering did not exceeed the stadium's capacity of 30,000 so as to safeguard the structure and assets of the stadium that have been declared as national heritage," the statement was quoted.


NONEWhen contacted, Tian (right) however denied that there was such a limit.

"The letter explained that the seating capacity is 30,000 people, but they never said only 30,000 people are allowed to enter the stadium.

"No conditions have been set in the letter. We will discuss the details with the management tomorrow," he told Malaysiakini.

Pakatan had announced their mega-rally last December, targeting to gather one million Malaysians in Stadium Merdeka.


This had hinged on the promise by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak prior to last year's Bersih 3.0 rally, that the government will allow static gatherings at venues like Stadium Merdeka.

However, Pakatan was unable to make headway over the past two weeks, as the stadium management did not reply to their application.

Inspector-general of police Ismail Omar pledged yesterday that he and the police force will merely be facilitators and allow the gathering to proceed under the ambit of the Peaceful Assembly Act.


'Historic decision'

At a press conference, Mohamad Sabu described the decision as "historic", saying the approval letter had been received at 2.30pm.

"We only have to come up with a RM75,000 deposit as required by the management. This will not be a problem," he said.

NONE“When we held Himpunan Hijau, we managed to collect RM300,000,” he said. 

"I had expected (approval) after meeting the IGP, as there was recognition of the atmosphere of change. I think the (authorities) are seeing that the people are watching ..."

He said that upon getting the approval, they will again meet with the IGP to ensure the smooth running and peacefulness of the gathering.

This, he said, is a historic moment and we are sure that the opposition could gather peacefully before the general election and are prepared to be the next government. 

He also hopes that it would signal to the Election Commission and also media practitioners of the people’s demand for a clean election.

Mohamad, who heads the organising committee, promised that this will be a peaceful gathering.

Gathering to advance various demands

Mohamad, who is also PAS deputy president, said the gathering is also to advance the various demands of various non-governmental organisations like Bersih’s eight demands for clean and fair elections, as well as on Pengerang, oil royalty, students, cleaner environment (Lynas) and also Felda.

“All the interests of this group will be advanced during the gathering,” he said, adding that there will be two pre-rally gathering points, namely Dataran Anak Muda in Petaling Jaya Selatan, and also in Kampung Baru.


NONE“These pre-rallies have been approved, with approval being given to the stadium as the gathering point for Saturday,” he said.

Activist Hishamuddin Rais said that there will be speeches by various non-governmental organisation leaders, a poetry recital by national laureate A Samad Said, speeches by the opposition leaders and it would end with a doa recital by PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Also present at the press conference were representatives of PAS, DAP, PKR, PSM and NGOs like Solidarity Anak Muda and Empower.

Meeting stadium authorities and police tomorrow

Mat Sabu said the committee will be meeting with the stadium authorities tomorrow to discuss on the various do’s and don’ts.

However, he reiterated that generally, no conditions had been set by the stadium authorities nor was there a prohibition from putting up banners in the stadium.

“People will be allowed to walk peacefully from the various entry points and there is no prohibition for them from carrying banners. This is the guarantee that we have obtained from the IGP and police.

“There have also been assurances that no roadblocks will be set up,” he said.


azlanMat Sabu also said that they will be meeting with Dang Wangi OCPD Zainuddin Ahmad to ensure the smooth running of the gathering.

Tian urged the people to gather in numbers to mark the historic occasion to advance the various issues, and this will end with a declaration by the people for the 13th general election.

He denied that a limit of 30,000 people had been set by Stadium Merdeka’s management in their letter.

“The letter explained that the seating capacity is 30,000 people, but they never said only 30,000 people are allowed to enter the stadium.

“No conditions have been set in the letter. We will discuss the details with the management tomorrow.”

Hishamuddin said for further details of the event, the people can go to their official Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Mat Sabu indicated that Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan will also be speaking at the event, adding that 5,000 PAS Unit Amal members would be deployed to help control the crowd.-malaysiakini


 

cheers.

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