Friday, June 20, 2008

New date, venue for huge anti-price hike rally


Organisers have made changes to the date and venue of the planned mammoth anti-fuel price hike rally which was planned to be held in Kuala Lumpur on July 5.


The rally will instead now take place the following day, July 6, a Sunday, at the Jalan Timur field in Petaling Jaya. This is the second change in date for the rally. It was first planned to have been held on July 12.


Making the announcement today at the PAS headquarters, Dr Hatta Ramly of the Anti-fuel Price Hike Protest Coalition (Protes) said the changes were to encourage more people to participate.


It would also not disrupt businesses at KLCC, a well-known shopping and commercial area at the heart of Kuala Lumpur, added the PAS Kuala Krai MP.


"There is a wide vacant field at Jalan Timur and it would be apt for the rally to be held there so that traffic congestion can be avoided as well to provide sufficient security for the participants.


"It is also a strategic and convenient location for those using the federal highway and it is also close to an LRT station," said Hatta (right).


Hatta said that he anticipates rally participants to start congregating at 10 am for various activities that the organisers have planned including talks by leaders from Pakatan Rakyat.


He also said that Protes will not be applying for a police permit claiming that they do not need to do so as ‘the gathering is a peaceful one’.


The police, nevertheless, have been informed of Protes’ plans and he expressed hope that police would provide help in controlling the traffic situation.


"We will also have our own people on stand by to help ease the anticipated traffic situation on that day," said Hatta.


Youth urged to join


PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, who was present at the press conference, asked young members of the public to join in the rally.


He said that it was important for them to join as the issue of the fuel price hike was a matter that affected everyone and that included the youth.


Protes has in the past organised numerous rallies to protest against the government’s decision to increase the price of fuel.


Past gatherings, however, would be considered small when compared to the one planned for July 6.


Last week, Protest organised a peaceful anti-fuel price hike rally at Kampung Baru which saw some 2,000 people participating (left). The march ended without any untoward incident.


That rally and several to be held before and on July 6 are to protest the recent whopping 41 percent hike in fuel prices by the government resulting in pump prices hitting RM2.70 per litre from RM1.92 previously.

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