Sepang, Dec 31 – Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has called on the organisers of the illegal assembly tonight to change the date of the gathering so that it would not coincide with the new year eve celebration.
Mohamed Nazri said in a cynical manner that if the organisers changed the date of the gathering, there was a possibility that it could become a new ‘tourism product’ for foreign visitors.
“We can show and prove that Malaysia practices a healthy politics of democracy where the people can protest illegally without being arrested.
“Maybe, I can call the tourists to look at the negative aspects of a few political parties in the country,” he said when asked to comment on the illegal assembly to topple the government that would be held at the Dataran Merdeka Kuala Lumpur, simultaneously with the new year eve celebration.
He disclosed this at a media conference after the launch of the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014 by the Malaysia Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) at the KL International Airport (KLIA), here Tuesday.
Also present were Matta president, Hamzah Rahmat; Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd (MAHB) managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid and Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Rashidi Hasbullah.
Mohamed Nazri said protests were a normal practice in other countries such as in Egypt and Ukraine, but it should not be carried out on a day when the public wished to celebrate the coming of the new year.
“Tonight, the public will have a choice whether to go to Dataran Merdeka to celebrate the new year or to join the illegal assembly,” he said.
Meanwhile, when commenting on the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on the reduction in the entertainment allowances of ministers and deputy ministers by 10 per cent, he supported the reduction because he said the ministers worked for the people.
“I believe that under the present economic situation, the cabinet ministers should take the lead in this matter although the allowances for elected representatives in Selangor rose but we (BN) reduce it. What is important is that we have enough to eat and serve the people,” he said.
The Prime Minister yesterday announced 11 measures to reduce public sector spending, including reducing the entertainment allowance for ministers and deputy ministers by 10 per cent, effective Jan 1.
– Bernama
