JOHOR BARU: Former Paloh assemblyman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali will be going to Bukit Aman to have his statement recorded by the police over a statement he made on holding street protests.
The Johor DAP vice-chairman said that he would have his statement recorded by the police at around 11am on Tuesday (July 19) in Bukit Aman.
"I have been called by the police to be investigated and have my statement recorded over my previous Facebook post asking if it was time for the public to take to the streets," he said in a Facebook post Monday (July 18).
Sheikh Umar, who is also a former state executive councillor during the short Pakatan Harapan administration in Johor, urged the public to pray for him.
He added that the police were investigating him over a Facebook post he made in June urging the public to gather in the streets of Kuala Lumpur to signal their frustration at the government over the rising cost of living.
In the June 22 post, the DAP central executive committee member said it was time for the people to take to the streets and make their voices heard.
His remark was rebutted by Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar who said there were many constructive ways to address the issue of rising cost of living but holding street protests was not among them.
His Majesty said he was against street protests to pressure the government on the issue.
"This is not a responsible way of finding a solution to the problem. There are many constructive ways to do so.
"Have we not learned enough from the street protests of the past? Have they forgotten the riots of 1969, and more recently, the Bersih riots?
"It never achieved anything, except chaos, destruction and a black mark on our nation’s history!
"Protesting on the streets is not the Malaysian way. There will be no winners when this happens. There will only be losers, and who knows how long it will take for scars to heal," said Sultan Ibrahim.
