Kuala Lumpur centre to close ahead of protest

By South-East Asia correspondent Zoe Daniel, wires

Posted 2 hours 31 minutes ago

Malaysian police say they may shut down the centre of Kuala Lumpur for the first time ever this weekend due to a mass rally, which will push for electoral reform.

The rally is being run by the Bersih 2.0 group, and more than 100,000 people are expected.

The group is calling for electoral reform to prevent fraud and skewed results towards the ruling party at elections, which are due in 2013 but are expected to be held early.

"We are heading for the stadium," said Andrew Khoo from Bersih.

"We will keep our focus on the basic demands... which is to campaign for free and fair elections. We won't be distracted."

Major roads in the capital were to be closed from midnight Friday, public buses plying city routes were to be diverted, and long-distance buses were to be halted at terminals outside Kuala Lumpur.

While a permit has been granted for the group to hold the rally in the landmark Merdeka Stadium, activists have been warned they will be arrested.

"The police will take whatever action within their power to guarantee the safety and public security is maintained in this country," federal police chief Ismail Omar said.

Another police official said about 230 people have already been arrested in the pre-rally roundup.

Most have been released, but six people, including an opposition lawmaker, are being held under a security law that allows detention without trial.

Mr Khoo condemned the police response as a "gross over-reaction" and urged authorities to allow the protesters 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.

Government-aligned organisation UNMO youth will hold a counter-protest today, because it says the protest is an opposition political rally in disguise.

- ABC/AFP