THE Kelantan government has declared Sunday a state holiday in a bid to boost attendance for the thanksgiving rally in the federal capital on December 8 over Malaysia’s rejection of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob said this was to provide an opportunity for Kelantan folk to express their love for the country by sending a message on the importance of maintaining harmony in a multiracial country.

“InsyaAllah, we will gather in peace and be on our best behaviour, and not encounter any provocation and comply with the authorities’ guidelines,” he said after the state executive council meeting in Kota Baru today.

The protest, led by opposition parties Umno and PAS and Malay rights group Perkasa, will be held on Jalan Raja, opposite the Sultan Abdul Samad building and Dataran Merdeka from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday.

Former prime minister Najib Razak earlier today said he will attend the rally. – Bernama, December 5, 2018.