‘OCM pressured to move to Padang Merbok’

Rabu, 19 Jun 2013

‘OCM pressured to move to Padang Merbok’

The last-minute change of venue by OCM from Dataran Merdeka to Padang Merbok will not affect this Saturday’ Black 505 rally at the same venue, said PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli. 

PETALING JAYA: The venue of this Sunday’s Olympic Day Run 2013 has switched from Dataran Merdeka to Padang Merbok at the eleventh hour and PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli has pinned the blame on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The event’s organisers, the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) announced the venue change this afternoon due to “unforeseen circumstances”, but Rafizi said it was clear they were being pressured by someone “higher up” to put a stop to Pakatan’s Black 505 rally on Saturday.

“Why would OCM want to change the venue three days before the annual run, after having spent so much resources on promoting the event and informing the public it will be at Dataran Merdeka?” he asked.

“It’s bad enough that Najib cannot accept the fact that we are entitled to gather and use Padang Merbok for our rally. But it is not fair for Najib and Zahid to use OCM (to stop us),” the Pandan MP told FMT.

But Rafizi was unfazed by the venue change and stressed it would have no impact on this Saturday’s mammoth rally against alleged electoral fraud.

“I am amused by the whole thing. It is quite comical that OCM has to change the programme after it is written all over the internet that it will be at Dataran Merdeka.

“Nevertheless, it is not going to change anything because the event is going to take place on Sunday and our rally is on Saturday.”

He said OCM would be using the field at 6pm on Saturday for its preparations and by that time the rally should have ended. “So there will be no clash. Both events can proceed smoothly,” said Rafizi.

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has already rejected PKR’s application to use the venue last week. They said OCM would be using Padang Merbok to prepare for a charity run on Sunday.

DBKL is also concerned about the landscape surrounding Padang Merbok and wants to avoid traffic congestion.

Both Pakatan leaders and DBKL met last Friday but failed to come to an agreement. Posted & copy by Rakyat Marhaen