'Not our responsibility to compensate petty traders'
The KL Petty Traders Action Council will not use the RM1.5 million, which is the value of the two cars it is giving out in lucky draws, as aid to traders who claim to have suffered losses during the mammoth Bersih 3.0 rally.
The KL Petty Traders Action Council will not use the RM1.5 million, which is the value of the two cars it is giving out in lucky draws, as aid to traders who claim to have suffered losses during the mammoth Bersih 3.0 rally.
This is because it is the responsibility of the Bersih coalition to pay for their losses, council head Jamal Ab Yunus (left) told a press conference today in response to yesterday's call by Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San.
"Bersih should be responsible (for the losses incurred). The objective of me giving out prizes is to recognise people who ink their support for the peace-loving movement.
"For us, we will help them to compile their losses and file a suit against the Bersih coalition to demand compensation," Jamal said, adding that the petty traders council would aid in the legal assistance required by the traders.
Lau yesterday criticised the group for spending RM1.5 million in total to give away two luxury cars, a Lamborghini and a BMW 530, as lucky draw prizes to those who like its anti-Bersih page on Facebook.
"Is this ‘loss' smaller or greater than the ‘loss' they claim to have suffered on the day of the Bersih 3.0 rally?" Lau asked.
‘100 lawyers offering their services to us’
Meanwhile, Jamal, who is also the KL Petty Traders Action Council chairperson, said a legal panel has been set up to study the filing of a lawsuit against the Bersih coalition or its chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan.
He claimed that more than 100 lawyers had voluntarily offered their services to the group to demand compensation for losses incurred by traders during the mammoth Bersih 1, 2 and 3 rallies.
He said a secretariat would be set up in his Sekinchan Ikan Bakar outlet in Gombak from Monday to collect complaints from traders. 
The Sekinchan-born businessman said the total losses incurred is still being examined, but he himself suffered great losses at his six KL-based grilled fish branches and a luxury car shop.
“Every shop makes between RM5,000 and RM7,000 a day,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jamal’s lawyer, Zahrin Ishak (above), revealed that the lawsuit will be filed in a similar nature to the government’s suit against Bersih.
He said the traders will have around two weeks to come forward and lodge their complaints.
