This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 5, 2015.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sept 16 “red shirt” rally did not have any racially tinged elements, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid said police had conducted investigations and discovered that pictures of racially tinged banners that went viral on social media had not come from the organisers.

“There is not one banner that was racially tinged or touched on any other religion.

“What went viral on social media, we have investigated and there is not a single banner that was racially tinged. It was by other parties,” he said while winding up the debate on Budget 2016. 

Ahmad Zahid said what had happened was that the banners were edited and taken from elsewhere.

He also said the Kuala Lumpur gathering, known as Himpuan Rakyat Bersatu, had not featured any sensitive or racially tinged speeches.

The “red shirt” rally was held to counter the Bersih 4 gathering, held on Aug 29 and Aug 30.

The “red shirt” organisers said Bersih 4 had insulted the Malays, especially as seen in footage of Bersih 4 participants stomping on pictures of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

Reports said the “red shirt” rally saw incendiary remarks and racially charged banners and placards as well as some tense moments where participants were upset over questions asked by some journalists.

Riot police also sprayed chemical-laced water on a group of rowdy rally goers who attempted to breach police barricades to gain access to Petaling Street.

Najib had justified the rally, saying it was a manifestation of the rise of Malays to defend their dignity and the country’s leadership from being condemned and humiliated. — The Malaysian Insider