Malaysian police break up opposition protest rally
Malaysian police break up opposition protest rally
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Police backed by cannons spraying chemical-laced water broke up a Malaysian opposition rally on Sunday outside a prison camp where six activists are being held without trial on government orders, opposition leaders said.
At least 35 people were arrested at the rally, and cars emblazoned with stickers and flags of the opposition National Justice Party were impounded at police checkpoints set up on the narrow road leading to the camp, said Raja Petra Kamaruddin, a senior official of the party, known as Keadilan.
Police could not be reached immediately to confirmed the details.
A convoy of about 160 cars carrying opposition supporters drove to the Kamunting camp north of Kuala Lumpur Sunday, accompanying relatives of the detainees on a regularly-scheduled visiting day.
Riot and regular police set up roadblocks, searched cars and blocked the entrance to the camp, hampering efforts to start a planned rally, Raja Petra said.
Eventually, about 500 opposition supporters managed to gather near the camp entrance before being told to leave by police, said Bahirah Tajul Ariff, whose husband Ezam Mohamad Noor is one of the detainees.
"They gave us five minutes to disperse but they started spraying us with water from the cannons straight away," Bahirah told The Associated Press.
The six detainees are among 10 Keadilan leaders or activists linked to it who were arrested in April under Malaysia's Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial.
Police say the group threatened national security by allegedly holding meetings to organize violent demonstrations to oust Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's government. Opposition leaders say there is no evidence to back the claim and accuse Mahathir of a heavy-handed crackdown.
Four of the 10 activists arrested in April have been released. The government has ordered that the others be held for up to two years, after which it will review the detention orders. The detention orders allow for the activists to be released at any time, and can be renewed at any time.
Kamunting, 250 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, has been used to jail scores of political prisoners and religious sect leaders over the years. Opposition leaders previously detained under the security act have been released within 18 months.
Mahathir has ignored demands to abolish the law which was introduced in the early 1960s to help quell a communist insurgency which ended years ago.
The law has been condemned as draconian by local and international human rights and legal groups.
Malaysia is to celebrate Mahathir's 20th anniversary in power with the biggest dinner ever hosted in the country, organizers said on Sunday.
They said more than 25,000 people from all over the southern state of Malacca would attend Monday's dinner with the premier, who completes 20 years in power on that day.
Amid Nordin, Speaker of the state assembly and the principal organizer, said the previous Malaysian record for a dinner attendance was 20,200.
"There will be 2,500 tables with 17 chefs catering to the guests comprising representatives from non-governmental organizations and sports organizations, government officers, political leaders and members of the public," he told reporters.