Rallies don't help country face challenging economic situation - Chua

He said the organisers of such a public gathering should view and evaluate the current economic situation and think whether the gathering would help the country or otherwise.

Chua said he was worried that such rallies could give a negative message to investors.

He said currently, there was a slide in the share index and bond market due to foreign investor sentiments, but the impact would only be felt in the medium term.

"In the long term, however, the investors still have confidence in our country," he told reporters after the 2016 Budget Focus Group Meeting: Enhancing Technological Capabilities of SMEs, at the Finance Ministry, here Tuesday.

Chua said the country's first half-year achievement this time in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) was better than over the same period last year, increasing by 25 per cent to RM22.3 billion from RM17.8 billion.

The recent Bersih 4 rallies were held close to this year's National Day celebration in Kuala Lumpur although the organisers received no permit from the police.

Now it is reported that the Red Shirts group plans to hold an anti-Bersih rally in the federal capital on Sept 16, which is Malaysia Day.

In KUALA LUMPUR, the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (NCCIM) cautioned that another rally dubbed "Perhimpunan Rakyat Bersatu" or the 'Red Shirts' gathering planned for next week would only have a negative impact on the country's economic situation and put pressure on the ringgit.

Its secretary-general Datuk Seri Syed Hussien Al Habshee said NCCIM viewed seriously such a gathering as it would affect business sentiments and ultimately adversely affect foreign investment inflow.

He said NCCIM, which represented the Malay Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce supported police action in preventing any racially provocative rally.