KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Barisan Nasional’s (BN) component parties have agreed to disagree on whether they should support the “red shirts” rally on September 16, its chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak said after a lengthy meeting with component party chiefs earlier this evening.

He said the ruling coalition’s Supreme Council had discussed the matter at length, with some expressing concern over the demonstration, initially touted as a Bersih 4 counter-rally.

“As the chairman of BN, I respect the views that have been expressed by friends within BN. We agree that if the event is to take place, it must follow the laws,” he said at a news conference after the meeting.

“Which means they must have the venue approval, listen to the police, and abide by all the country’s laws including the Sedition Act. Which means no posters that incite racism or seditious in nature,” he added.

Najib indicated that it is unlikely that any of the top BN leaders will be present at the rally, as they would all be in Kota Kinabalu to take part in the national-level Malaysia Day celebration.

He also urged the police to prevent any untoward incidents that may occur during the demonstrations.

“We ask that the police maintain tight security during the rally and over the roads. There must not be any clashes that occur on that day,” he said.

Earlier today, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) approved the request by Persekutuan SIlat Kebangsaan Malaysia (Pesaka) to hold a rally at Padang Merbok, after they were denied permission to hold it at Bukit Bintang.

The approval prompted the police to say that it would facilitate the demonstration, while monitoring it for unlawful speeches.

MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai today reiterated that the party was against the rally for its poor timing, racial undertones and the possibility of affecting economic growth.

“Most importantly, it is not a BN rally, not by Umno,” he told reporters after the supreme council meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi said that his ministry had already received 67 reports against the rally.

“It may have increased by now, but we received four from MCA, three from DAP and the others were by individuals and organisations,” he told reporters.

There have been conflicting statements issued on this Wednesday’s rally, with earlier reports citing Coalition of Malay NGOs chief Datuk Jamal Md Yunos claiming that the Himpunan Maruah Melayu is to uphold the rights and dignity of the Malays in the face of alleged attacks by the non-Malays on Malay leaders.

In his latest statement yesterday, Jamal, who is also Umno Sungai Besar division chief, insisted that the “red shirts” rally — so-called for their choice of t-shirt colour — aims to put an end to future rallies especially if they echo demonstrations held by the Bersih movement.

Jamal himself, however, has never identified himself as an organiser of the rally, only saying that he was assisting the organisers and speaking on their behalf.

Rally organisers Pesaka, however, appeared to have dissociated the event from Jamal and his “red shirts”, with Pesaka President and former Malacca Chief Minister Tan Sri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam stressing that their rally is known as Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu or United People’s Rally, and that it is open to all Malaysians.

Pesaka’s name only surfaced a few days ago, while Jamal and his group had been selling red t-shirts bearing a slogan in Malay that translate to “Malay Dignity Uprising, Padang Merbok, Bukit Bintang, Petaling Street, My Homeland”.