KUALA LUMPUR: If Hilmi Yahya wants to challenge Bersih 4 rally goers to a month-long demonstration like the one in Thailand, then he had best obtain the prime minister’s and police’s approval for it, said DAP’s Teresa Kok.
In a statement today, Teresa, the MP for Seputeh, said Hilmi, the deputy health minister suffered from “foot in mouth” disease for mocking Bersih 4 rally goers as “young participants (who) could not stand the heat of the sun”.
He was reported by Chinese language daily Sin Chew Jit Poh as saying this at a function in Malacca, as well as for saying that Bersih 4 supporters were unlikely to last even a single day, much less a month unlike rally goers of the Thailand demonstrations.
“He said that the rally would negatively impact the country, yet at the same time said the rally could only last one day,” said Teresa.
She also asked if Hilmi was trying to challenge Bersih 4 supporters to hold a month-long rally instead of a two-day version like the one held over August 29-30 and said, “If he is serious about it, then let him do two things first: obtain the Prime Minister’s nod for such a challenge, and get the police to agree to officially allow the rally to be held.”
She also said that those in government should listen to the people’s voice instead of waging attacks and hurling insults at rally participants, and lumped Hilmi in the same category as other “Barisan Nasional leaders in denial (who) refuse to listen to the people”.