malaysiaThe Philippine Embassy in Malaysia is closely monitoring the massive protest in the country's capital city. Newly-appointed Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Ed Malaya told philstar.com that so far no Filipinos have figured in the rallies "either as kibitzers or as participants." "Our embassy people in Kuala Lumpur are watching the events as they unfold, just in case," Malaya said in a text message. As of this writing, nearly 700 protesters have been arrested by Malaysian police in Kuala Lumpur. Policemen fired at the protesters, numbering to about 20,000, who massed up across Kuala Lumpur.
The activists were demanding Prime Minister Najib Razak to make election laws fairer and more transparent. Malaysia will hold national elections by mid-2012, the report said. Demonstrators marched in defiance of Najib's administration, which has declared the rally illegal and warned people repeatedly to avoid it. Opposition leaders accuse Najib's National Front coalition of relying on fraud to preserve its 54-year grip on power, which has been eroded in recent years amid mounting complaints about corruption and racial discrimination. The government insists the current electoral policies are evenhanded. Authorities took extraordinary security measures to deter Saturday's rally by sealing off roads, closing train stations and deploying trucks mounted with water cannons near the Independence Stadium in downtown Kuala Lumpur, where activists sought to gather.
Nevertheless, thousands tried to reach the stadium from various parts of Kuala Lumpur, chanting "Long live the people" and carrying yellow balloons and flowers as they marched. Police fired numerous rounds of tear gas and chemical-laced water in repeated attempts to disperse the crowds, causing demonstrators to scatter into nearby buildings and alleys before they regrouped. Police helicopters flew overhead as a brief downpour failed to deter the protesters.
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