KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — The police have to act responsibly and “nip racial provocation in the bud” in order to maintain the country’s harmony, DAP’s Teresa Kok said today amid an Umno leader’s call for Malays to counter the Bersih 4 rally on Malaysia Day.

The federal opposition lawmaker was responding to a statement made earlier today by Federal Territories Umno Youth chief Mohd Razlan Rafii who claimed that last weekend’s Bersih 4 was Chinese dominated and urged Malays to rally in defence of their rights.

“It is obvious that there are people who are out to create racial tension with inflammatory remarks in the Internet, after the successful and peaceful Bersih 4.0 rally.

“The police should therefore focus their efforts on these provocateurs and keep their hands off from the Bersih 4.0 organisers and participants.

“Bersih 4.0 rally did not cause any racial tension or chaos, but the provocateurs who are ‘ultra kiasu’ can bring about racial problems if their provocation is not nipped in the bud,” Kok said in a statement.

The Seputeh MP added that the police should take action on Mohd Razlan instead, insisting the Umno man was stoking racial sentiments through his statement.

“Razlan’s allegations against the Chinese are highly irresponsible, totally baseless and absurd. His sole purpose is only to racialise the Bersih 4.0 rally and to fan racial hatred against the Chinese. The police should be swift in taking action against Raslan,” Kok added.

Mohd Razlan was reported by news portal Malaysiakini as calling on Malays to rally on September 16 to counter the 34-hour Bersih 4 rally last August 29 and 30.

According to Kok, the Umno grassroots chief claimed the Chinese were “communistic” in their ideology and openly rejected the Malays by taking part in the mass street protest against the Barisan Nasional federal government.

A message calling Malays, who form the country’s biggest demographic group, to don “red shirts” and gather at Bukit Bintang in the city’s “Golden Triangle” business and shopping district on September 16, has been circulating through the mobile phone app WhatsApp.

It is unknown if this “red shirt” rally is the same as the one advocated by Mohd Razaln.

Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Jamal Yunos had previously called for Malays to dress in red to counter Bersih 4, but on October 10.