NGOs cancel planned gathering over Sabah MyKad issue

KOTA KINABALU - The organisers of the “Majlis Himpunan Rakyat – Membantah Penarikan MyKad di Sabah" (People's Gathering to Protest the Withdrawal of MyKad in Sabah) have agreed to cancel their event scheduled for May 31 at a hotel here.

City police chief Asst Comm M. Chandra said the organisers, comprising a group of NGOs, were advised to cancel the private event because it would touch on public sensitivity and risk raising public unease.

“Although the event would be in a closed area and considered a private function, we advised them not to continue with it due to these factors and because May 31 is Sabah's Kaamatan day,” he said at a press conference here Friday.

“They agreed with our advice and have agreed not to hold it at the hotel,” ACP Chandra said.

He said it was understood that the hotel management had agreed to refund the organisers’ deposit for the cancellation of the function.

However, it is not known whether the organisers plan to take their event elsewhere.