DBKL, PKR in deadlock over rally venue
DBKL mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib claimed the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) had applied to use Padang Merbok for their charity run as far back as in December 2012.
Leven Woon, FMT
Negotiations between KL city council (DBKL) and PKR over the use of Padang Merbok as the Blackout 505 venue has met a deadlock, with mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib today insisting that the field is not available on June 22.
He told reporters that the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) had opted for the venue to organise a charity run on June 23, and not Dataran Merdeka as claimed by the oppositions.
“I have letters to prove that OCM has indeed applied for Padang Merbok since December last year, I have no idea how they (the opposition) came into the conclusion of otherwise.
“I didn’t do this after they (the opposition) said they wanted Padang Merbok, but it was indeed what the third party has applied for,” he said without showing OCM’s letter to DBKL.
Ahmad Phesal’s remarks followed claims by PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli that the mayor had lied about the charity run’s venue and used it as an excuse to reject the party’s application for the rally, which is slated for June 22.