KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Police will not allow a rally planned for September 16 to counter the Bersih 4 street protest last month.

According to state news agency Bernama, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the so-called “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” will not be permitted to proceed due to “security implications”.

The rally is being organised by an unnamed group via social media, ostensibly in reaction to the Bersih 4 overnight protest held late August, and its organisers are claiming that as many as 300,000 will attend.

Also called “Himpunan Maruah Melayu”, the purported rally has received unofficial support from parts of Umno, including minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Umno-owned paper Utusan Malaysia yesterday pressed authorities to allow the rally to take place, saying it was necessary to counter what it dubbed as the Chinese-dominated Bersih 4 rally.

The "red shirt" rally was also criticised yesterday by former international trade and industry minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, who dubbed it an instigation to racialisation with its call for Malays, especially those from the country’s ruling party, to unite against the DAP and organisers of Bersih 4.

Polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 organised the overnight street rally on August 29 and 30 to demand for electoral reforms as well as the resignation of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister owing to a controversy surrounding his receipt of a RM2.6 billion donation from the Middle East.

September 16 is Malaysia Day and a national holiday.