Bersatu members can attend pro-Najib rally, says party leader

PETALING JAYA: Bersatu will not restrict its members from joining the planned solidarity rally for former prime minister Najib Razak at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya tomorrow, says Supreme Council member Dr Yadzil Yaakub.

He said Bersatu also respects the decision by its Perikatan Nasional (PN) ally, PAS, to go ahead with the rally after Umno withdrew from the gathering.

“Bersatu did not specifically discuss the solidarity rally. (But we believe that) each person has the right to assemble and the freedom to express themselves.

“There’s no prohibition (from the party) on any member who wishes to participate (in the rally),” Yadzil told FMT.

He added that the rally demonstrated the public’s wish for the government to come clean on the purported addendum allegedly issued by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong that would allow Najib to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest.

“Any order from the king must be respected and obeyed. If the addendum exists and the government has failed to implement it, then this amounts to disobeying the king,” he added.

Yesterday, PAS said the party’s rally in support of Najib will proceed as planned tomorrow morning.

Party secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the rally would serve to defend the king’s prerogative powers from manipulation and lack of transparency while supporting all lawful efforts by Najib to seek justice.

Meanwhile, Umno announced it was pulling out of the rally for its former president Najib following a statement by Istana Negara and the call by police for the public not to take part in the rally.

The Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP), a component party of PN, today said it would be joining the rally tomorrow as part of its mission to “uncover the truth”.

MIPP information chief Suthan Mookaiah said if it is true that such an addendum exists, the move to conceal it would be an “unacceptable act of betrayal against the nation”.

“We must uncover the truth in the name of justice. The government must publicly address the authenticity and existence of the royal addendum,” he said in a statement.