Lockdown enforced: Detained protesters being released

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 1,667 people had been detained in the Bersih rally here Saturday.

They included 1,500 men, 151 women and 16 children who had accompanied them.

City police CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah said all the detainees were expected to be released by 9.30pm Saturday.

They were among thousands of protesters who had gathered in several areas here to march to Stadium Merdeka.

A tear gas cannister falls onto a group of protesters at Puduraya

Police had since Friday have sealed off all major roads leading to the heart of the capital, telling people to stay away from any rally Saturday.

Commenting on the rally, IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar said as a result of steps police had in place only about 6,000 managed to gather unlike the crowds seen in the 2007 Bersih rally.

“We were not rough towards the crowd and we gave ample warning but they kept on provoking.

“I was told there are allegations of high handedness or police brutality by certain quarters and I urge those making such allegations to lodge reports and we will act against any of my men if there is any truth," he said.

Ismail said the demonstrators begun gathering at around 9am but their numbers grew at two locations by 2pm.

He said police managed to control the situation and by 5pm most of the crowd had dispersed.

Among those detained for questioning was Bersih 2.0 chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, along with PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, Subang MP PKR Sivarasa Rasiah and Batu MP Tian Chua.

PAS leaders who were detained included president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and vice presidents Datuk Mahfuz Omar and Salahuddin Ayub.

Malay rights group Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali said they did not take hold a rally as planned earlier in the week to counter the Bersih rally as they did not have a permit.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin led a group of Patriot supporters to also counter the Bersih rally.

The group dispersed after police stopped their march and fired tear gas and water cannons at them.

Bersih steering committee member Subramaniam Pillay said the rally was a success and some 50,000 people participated.