KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 ― Bersih 2.0 has refused to pay the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for alleged damages during the Bersih 5 rally last November.
Chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said the polls reform group is consulting its lawyers for a response to DBKL, claiming its rally was a show of expression held in a public space.
“We are not paying as Bersih was exercising our freedom and right to expression and assembly,” Maria told Malay Mail Online in a text message.
“Space is public and it's not the government's duty to deter democratic actions but to facilitate.”
Whatever the case, we will not pay.
— BERSIH 2.0 (@bersih2) January 12, 2017
DBKL has charged Bersih 2.0 and the Red Shirts movement RM34,150 for allegedly damaging thousands of trees during their two rallies on November 19 last year.
In a copy of the letter dated December 27 uploaded by Bersih 2.0 on its Twitter account today, DBKL said the amount was billed by its Landscape and Recreation Department on November 24.
The two groups have 14 days to pay the amount, said Datuk Rohayah Karim, the City Hall's Laws and Prosecution Department director said.
Among the trees that DBKL claimed were damaged are 1,000 units of loropetalum Chinese var rubrum, and 2,300 units of duranta erecta gold.
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