KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Authorities need to speed up investigations on local bodies receiving foreign funding to avoid extreme measures by groups like the “Red Shirts” movement, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.
He added that groups like the Red Shirts, led by Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos, would continue against non-government organisations as long as there was uncertainty that non-Malaysians controlled the purse strings of local non-government organisations like the Bersih 2.0 electoral watchdog and news outlet Malaysiakini, The Sunday Star reported today.
“Until they certify whether or not groups including Malaysiakini, Bersih and any others have received funds from OSF, we will not have any resolution to this problem,” Khairy was quoted saying, referring to the Open Society Foundations, a grant-making network founded by American billionaire George Soros.
He urged the police to double up their efforts on the matter, adding that and perhaps Bank Negara should get involved.
Yesterday, some 700 supporters of Jamal’s Red Shirts demonstrated in front of Malaysiakini’s office in Jalan Tandang, Petaling Jaya to demand the news portal’s closure following unproven allegations it received funding from OSF.
OSF has been accused of attempting to “overthrow the government” via civil society organisations, a claim that the body had denied.
Malaysiakini also stated previously that it only received a one-off grant from OSF for a couple of documentaries meant for its video arm KiniTV in 2011.
The protest ended without incident due to the heavy presence of the police, which included their anti-riot squad.
But Jamal has promised that the Red Shirts will gather again to counter the Bersih 5 rally scheduled to take place here on November 19.
