Bersih, ‘red shirts’ yet to pay clean up costs, says ministry

The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry says Bersih 4 and the ‘red shirt’ rally organisers have yet to settle their respective cleaning bills. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 10, 2016.The organisers of last year's Bersih 4 protest and the ‘red shirt' rally have yet to pay their respective clean up bills, the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry said today.

The ministry said Bersih 4 organisers owed authorities RM64,955 for the August 31 overnight rally near Dataran Merdeka, while the ‘red shirts’ owed RM38,214.70 for their September 16 gathering in Padang Merbok.

“In line with that, based on the information received, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd has taken action by sending an invoice on September 1 2015 to Bersih organisers and another one to the ‘red shirt’ rally organisers on September 30 2015.

“Hence, any follow-up action in relation to demanding payment from organisers will be handled by Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, since the concessionaire has the right to make such demands and is the provider of such services,” said the ministry in a parliamentary written reply.

Last year, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said Bersih 2.0 should pay for clean-up costs of their rally as they had received RM2.4 million in public donations, which he said should be used for public purposes.

But the coalition's chairperson, Maria Chin Abdullah said they would not pay a single sen and will challenge any payment request in court.

The 34-hour rally was held to demand institutional reforms and to pressure prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign.

The following month's ‘red shirt’ rally was to defend the dignity of the Malays and the country's leadership from being condemned and humiliated, according to Najib.

Rahman previously admitted the ‘red shirt’ rally had left rubbish in its wake, but said “unlike Bersih demo, this time the bad smell of urine was not evident”. – March 10, 2016.