KL says opposition using 'intifada'

KL says opposition using 'intifada'

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's deputy premier accused the Islamic opposition party on Tuesday of exploiting the Palestinian intifada as a pretext to stage antigovernment protests here.

Several thousand members of the Parti Islam Malaysia (PAS) and other opposition parties gathered outside a prison last Friday to mark the release of PAS youth wing leader Mahfuz Omar and two other activists.

The three were jailed after refusing to pay a 1,500 ringgit (US$395) fine for taking part in an illegal assembly in April 1997 to protest the visit of an Israeli cricket team.

Malaysian police have wide powers to declare almost any assembly illegal.