M'sian police arrest 1,600 protestors!

Malaysian riot police on Saturday fired new rounds of tear gas and used water cannon to disperse thousands of protesters demanding electoral reforms.

FRU firing tear gas to disperse protestors.

A total of 1,600 people have now been arrested, police chief said.


"In the illegal assembly... police detained 1,401 persons and we are in the process of investigating the individuals detained, mainly for illegal assembly," Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar told a news conference.

Street protestors jumping down from a wall at Dataran Maybank

Police "will release as many on bail, as soon as possible", he said.


Officers made the arrests "because the organisers refused our offer to hold the rally in a place that was more suitable," he said, adding that "If they had accepted our offer (to hold the protest outside the capital) this could have been avoided."

Among the protesters caught were legislators aligned with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, including Abdul Hadi Awang, president of the Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS), the country's biggest opposition party, and Ambiga Sreenivasan, leader of Bersih, the coalition that organised the protests.


Many of the protesters were shouting 'Reformasi' (Reforms) and 'Long Live the People'. Organisers said they will attempt to march to the Merdeka Stadium to hold their rally there. Police have banned the demonstration, saying it is illegal and have sealed off the capital since Friday night.

Police said on their official Facebook page that 1,600 people had been arrested.


"Why is the government trying to intimidate citizens?" said Mohamad Manij Abdullah, 50, a businessman, who joined the rally. "We are only trying to reform elections and have a free and fair government," he told AFP.


Student Chew Ai Nee, 30, added: "We have to take to the streets because we have not been given any opportunity to express changes and make changes... The government cannot silence us when we march."