POLICE PREPARED TO APPROVE PERMIT FOR RALLY OUTSIDE CAPITAL - MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- The police are prepared to issue a permit
to hold a rally tomorrow it is held outside the capital, said Home Minister
Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

He said it could be obtained quickly and there was no problem with approval.

However, the police had banned assemblies by any groups in the capital
Saturday, he told a news conference here Friday.

"Since July 3, the police have been preparing for any eventualities and will
take stern action against those who are still adamant about having it in Kuala
Lumpur," he said.

Hishammuddin said the police had acted fairly in not issuing any permits to
hold rallies at Stadium Merdeka, including from Umno and Perkasa.

Meanwhile, the Dang Wangi police today rejected an application for a permit
to hold a rally Saturday from a woman, who identified herself as an officer from
the Selangor Community Awareness Programme.

Dang Wangi police chief ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said the
decision was made in order to safeguard public safety.

He said according to the woman, about 100,000 people would attend the rally.

Therefore, action will be taken under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act 1967
if the rally was going to be held, he told reporters here Friday.

"However, the organiser could still make an appeal in writing within 24
hours from the time the application was rejected to Kuala Lumpur acting police
chief Amar Singh Ishar Singh," said Mohamad Zulkarnain.

He said the Dang Wangi police also rejected an application from Umno Youth
to hold a rally Saturday on the same ground last week.

-- BERNAMA