"Save Palestine" peaceful rally...

Date: Today, Friday, Jan 9
Time: 2 pm
Place: Gather behind Tabung Haji building in KL city, walk to US Embassy
Notes: Wear black, red or white if possible. No children, please.

"It's being organised by a coalition of NGOs who bonded under the name of COMPLETE, which stands for Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against the Persecution of Palestinians.

A key member of COMPLETE, in her email said: "It is now over two weeks since the savage bombardment of the Gaza strip. Now reinforced with a full-fledged ground invasion, the Israeli forces continue their invasion of this already fragile and helpless land – one of the most densely populated areas on the planet, home to over a million people – despite international outrage and in defiance of all international humanitarian laws.

Standing in solidarity against this barbarity, COMPLETE will be holding a peaceful dmonstration and handing over of memorandum to the US Embassy on Friday (Jan 9) after Friday prayers.

Anyone who wish to rally behind the Palestinian struggle are advised to gather at 2 pm outside Tabung Haji Complex in Jln Tun Razak before proceeding with the walk to the US embassy across the road.

Attendees are advised to dress in black, white or red colours and any other Palestinian symbols (badges, scarves, t-shirts). Please bring along relevant placards/banners/posters.

The time has come for us, as citizens of the world, as brothers and sisters in the human family, as conscientious individuals, to link hands across the divides of race, religion, and nationality, and to stand together against the tide of injustice and speak on behalf of the voiceless. It is our duty, our sacred responsibility, not only to humanity, but to ourselves. Say - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" - save palestine now

Read Rocky'sbru Walk for Gaza at US Embassy here
Also Save Palestine Now here

Police disperse Bersih rally, arrest 24 - Malaysiakini

Police dispersed a crowd of about 300 people gathered at a field opposite the Amcorp Mall here on Sunday night to mark the first anniversary of the Bersih rally, arresting 24 people as well.

The rally was to commemorate the march last November that called for a free and fair general election.

Among those arrested were PJ Utara Member of Parliament Tony Pua,Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San, MBPJ counsellor Tiew Fei Chin and a videographer from the Malaysiakini news portal.

Police disperse crowd, 24 arrested

By Malaysiakini Team

Riot police today dispersed about 300 people who had gathered at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre.

The police moved into the crowd just as they were singing the national anthem and getting ready to leave.

The crowd had walked over to the PJ Civic Centre shortly after 9.30pm after they had been originally dispersed from the Padang Timur, about a kilometre away, where they had gathered to take part in a candlelight vigil.

Just as the crowd started re-gathering at the Civic Centre, a team of anti-riot squad and a water cannon truck arrived.

Shortly afterwards the police started dispersing the crowd using their shields.

In the ensuing melee, police arrested PJ Utara member of parliament and DAP leader Tony Pua, Kampung Tunku state representative Lau Weng San and 22 others. Also arrested was Malaysiakini videographer Shukri Mohamad.

"I was shooting the water cannon truck when a policeman told me to stop that. He ordered me to hand over the camera and tape. I turned and walked away when I was arrested," Shukri said when contacted.

Eyewitnesses said that Pua was taken into a waiting Black Maria.

The police were also seen chasing the crowd into an Indian restaurant located opposite the Civic Centre. Those arrested have been taken to the Petaling Jaya police station.

A small group of people have gathered outside in support of those arrested under the watchful eyes of a team of police anti-riot squad.

Candlelight vigil called off

Earlier, at about 9.35pm, a candlelight vigil organised by polls reform group Bersih was hampered by police insistence on the gathered crowd to disperse.

The vigil was to have started at 9.30pm at Padang Timur opposite Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

However, the police had started blocking the roads leading to the venue as early as 7pm. And as the scheduled 9.30pm approached, the police urged the gathered crowd in the field to disperse.

The crowd had then moved into the nearby Amcorp mall.

Among those in the crowd were recently court-released ISA detainee Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu and DAP leaders Lau Weng San and Pua.

At about 9.30pm, the organisers told the crowd to disperse to avoid any trouble with the police. Some of those in the crowd then decided to hold a mini-procession from the field to the PJ Civic Centre, about a kilometre away.

Roads blocked

Eyewitnesses told Malaysiakini that roads leading to the PJ field have earlier been blocked by the police from about 7pm.

Some have complained that the roadblocks had stopped them from going to a wellknown fast-food outlet in the vicinity.

Many had to park their vehicles in PJ new town - some two-kilometres away -to walk to the field to take part in the vigil. At about 8pm, eye-witnesses said that about 100 people had gathered at the venue.

The police meanwhile had began asking the crowd to leave the place. By 8.30pm - with only an hour away from the planned vigil - the police managed to turn away most of the people from the field.

The crowd, which had by then grew to about 200, moved closer to the Amcorp mall, waiting for the organisers to start the vigil.

No water cannons

At the same time, about 20 federal reserve unit personnel took position just outside the shopping mall. The planned candlelight vigil scheduled at 9.30 did not take place.

Tonight's vigil was to have featured speakers from both civil society groups and political parties.

"No" to Hindraf's planned gathering today

Update:

Teargas, water cannon used to disperse Hindraf Rally

Police used tear gas and chemical-laced water to break up a crowd of 300 in a rally , organized by the the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), at Jalan Raja Laut here this morning.

About 130 people, were arrested but most of them were released after their particulars were taken down. Only nine, including two women, all aged between 35 and 40, were remanded.

Around 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields, turned up to disperse the protesters waving the Malaysian flag, portraits of the Malaysian king, and orange banners that read, "We want our rights, No to the Internal Security Act".

The protesters - among them children as young as 10 - had planned to gather outside parliament to hand a protest note and roses to the Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Badawi, but they were halted by police a short distance away.

Police had earlier set up road blocks and closed the road leading to Parliament building. The road closures resulted in Hindraf changing their destination to the Suhakam office at Jalan Raja Laut.

At 9.20am, police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd at Jalan Raja Laut after repeated warnings went unheeded. Many of the supporters scattered to Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Masjid Jamek areas.

Hindraf first announced the protest in January to demand for the release of five of its leaders jailed under the ISA soon after more than 10,000 Indians marched here in Kuala Lumpur last November to complain about a lack of job and education opportunities, in response to a call from the group.

Read Reuters Tear gas scatters Malaysian 'flower power' protest
Zorro's entry Makkal Sakti! Makkal Sakti! Makkal Sakti!
Hantu Laut's The End Justifies The Means

Earlier story:

Police have rejected the appeal by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to hold their gathering at 9am Saturday (today) in front of the Parliament building to demand for the release of several of its members who are being detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The appeal, which was the second submitted by Hindraf on Thursday, was rejected because it is not a registered organisation and the gathering would involve 200 children, Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said.

Police had earlier on stopped polls reform group Bersih from holding a press conference in front of Istana Negara and arrested PKR’s Information Chief Tian Chua. Also arrested was a PAS member identified as Jalaluddin Abdul Manap.

Police Disallow Hindraf Gathering Saturday, Says KL Police Chief

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 (Bernama) -- Police have rejected the appeal by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to hold their gathering at 9am Saturday in front of the Parliament building to demand for the release of several of its members who are being detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the appeal, which was the second submitted to him by Hindraf Thursday, was rejected after finding that the organisation was not registered and that 200 children would be involved in the gathering.

Hindraf had applied for the permit on Feb 11 at the Sentul District Police Headquarters but the application was rejected, and it made an appeal to the Kuala Lumpur Contingent Police Headquarters.

"We fear that the safety of the children would be jeopardised and the group was also providing 30 gangsters purportedly to provide protecttion for the children...but we believe the presence of the gangsters would lead to more serious crime," he said at a press conference at his office here.

Muhammad Sabtu said stern action would be taken and the children involved would be detained and placed under the care of the Welfare Department.As a precautionary measure, police would set up roadblocks within the Klang Valley to maintain security and prevent undesired elements from coming to create trouble.

In the operation codenamed `Ops Padam' beginning this afternoon, the roadblocks would be set up along 12 roads. They included Jalan Kuching, Jalan Duta Toll Plaza, Jalan Ipoh and Besraya Expressway and the Federal Highway.

He also said that police had detained two members of `Bersih' about 2.30pm Friday when about 50 members of the group gathered in front of the Istana Negara to hand over a protest memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"We have detained two members of the Bersih group namely Tian Chua and Jalaludin Abdul Manap for being involved in a gathering without valid permit in front of the Istana Negara this afternoon," he said.-- BERNAMA

Released - 11 of protes participants

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- Eleven of the 56 people arrested Saturday for participating in an illegal assembly at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) have been released unconditionally, the police said.

The other 45 were still being investigated for participating in the illegal gathering and for defying court order, said a statement from the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.

"They were also arrested for obstructing public officers from discharging their duties," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the proceedings to obtain remand orders for those who were still under police custody were still progressing at 8pm tonight at a Kuala Lumpur court, with 13 of them had already been issued with the remand order until tomorrow.

Yesterday, police arrested 56 people including several opposition leaders and members of the non-governmental organisations (NGO) for participating in the illegal assembly which they said was to protest against rising cost of living. ---Bernama

"Protes" at KLCC: Dozens picked up

Police have detained more than two dozen individuals near the Kuala Lumpur City Centre ahead of a protest against price hikes organised by the Coalition Against Inflation (Protes), according to Malaysiakini.

They included a Malaysiakini reporter.

Yesterday, police obtained a restraining order from the court to stop Protes from gathering at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre and warned that that they would not hesitate to detain anyone who ignore the order.

Copies of the the warrant were pasted on various locations within the vicinity of KLCC.

Protes is protesting against a possible oil price hike and other essential goods and services, likely in April.

Read full report in HarakahDaily.Net: here

Zorro's entry: here

Elizabeth Wong's video clip on Saturday's protest: here

Pix: Courtesy of HarakahDaily.net