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Kuala
Lumpur. Malaysian activists said on Friday that they would proceed with a
controversial rally calling for electoral reform despite mass arrests by police
and fears of chaos in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Rally
organizers Bersih 2.0 had agreed to hold Saturday’s event at a stadium after
complaints that a planned street protest could turn into a riot, but the deal
was thrown into confusion after the necessary permit was refused.
Bersih
representative Andrew Khoo said there was still no approval for the rally to be
held at the capital’s iconic Merdeka Stadium, but if necessary organizers would
hold the demonstration outside the building.
“We are
heading for the stadium,” he said.
“We will
keep our focus on the basic demands, which is to campaign for free and fair
elections. We won’t be distracted.”
Protests
are illegal in Malaysia without a permit, and police have detained more than
150 people during the past two weeks, accusing them of drumming up support for
the gathering.
Police have
also obtained a court order to bar 91 activists from certain downtown areas,
and major roads will be closed from early Saturday in a lock-down to make it
difficult for people to congregate.
Street
protests are rare in Malaysia but in the past have drawn tens of thousands,
with police using water cannon, tear gas and baton charges to clear the crowds.
Khoo
condemned the police response as a “gross overreaction” and called for the
protesters to be allowed inside the stadium to preserve safety.
“It is such
a breach of fundamental rights of freedom of movement. There is no risk to
public order because we have always maintained this will be a peaceful
gathering,” he said.
Police have
insisted that Bersih choose another venue far from the capital.
“Merdeka
Stadium, which they chose, is too close to the city center and can create
massive traffic jams and disrupt businesses,” federal police chief Ismail Omar
was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times daily.
Most of
those detained have been released, but six people, including an opposition
member of parliament, have been held under a security law that allows detention
without trial.
The protest
is backed by opposition parties who complain they are the victim of underhanded
election tactics.
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