Malaysian minister calls for peace ahead of rally

A Malaysian minister on Tuesday called for peace as groups pledged to hold a potentially racially-charged rally next week, the media reported.

A group of so-called "red shirts" want to hold a mass protest on September 16 to counter the 34-hour anti-Prime Minister Najib Razak rally held by the Bersih coalition last month, Channel News Asia reported.

The planned counter-protest next week has been promoted as both a United People's Rally and a Malay Pride Rally in different posters.

However, police have warned protesters from going ahead, and even those in the government are concerned.

"By inciting each other, it doesn't help our country to develop. And we must bear in mind that we need each other, regardless of race or religion," said Nancy Shukri, minister in the prime minister's department.

"We need each other to grow - we need each other for the economy to grow, we need each other for the country to develop, we need each other to make the country truly Malaysia, which we all want it to be."