KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 (AFP) - Thousands of Malaysians
defied police warnings to
gather in a downtown area here Saturday in
a fresh anti-government protest and a noisy
show of support for detained former deputy
premier Anwar Ibrahim.
The protesters, shouting "Reformasi" slogans,
lined a three kilometre (two mile) stretch of a
major thoroughfare, carrying hundreds of pictures
of the ousted minister and placards reading
"Free Anwar" and "Long Live Anwar."
More than 10,000 people, almost entirely ethnic
Malays, had lined the streets by late
afternoon, with some groups breaking into
the patriotic song "Barisan Kita" traditionally sung
by Malaysian soldiers going into battle.
Others openly denounced Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad, who sacked Anwar on
September 2 and made various allegations of
sexual misconduct against him.
Shops were closed in the area although business
was still taking place at a busy market held
on Saturday evenings.
Some 30 policemen were monitoring the scene
but there were no signs of any clashes and
traffic was moving normally, with some cars
beeping their horns in an apparent show of
sympathy for the protestors.
At one stage, protestors scrambled to grab
dozens of audio cassettes of Anwar speeches
which were tossed to the crowd by a passing
motorist.
On Friday police in Kuala Lumpur and the northern
state of Penang warned people to avoid
illegal gatherings and said they would crack
down on those taking part, including stall
operators and shoppers.
"We are taking precautions to ensure there
are no illegal gatherings. Anyone who flouts the
directive will be dealt with in accordance
with the law," deputy inspector-general of police
Norian Mai was quoted as saying.
It was unclear who had organised the mass action
Saturday but there appeared to be some
form of crowd control, with some participants
urging the protestors to stay on the pavement.
Following Anwar's arrest on September 20, police
have warned against illegal gatherings --
defined here as anything involving more than
four people.
"Despite the warnings the people still come
here. The government has lost its credibility," said
a housewife in her forties who asked not to
be named.
"Even though the gathering lacks organisation,
the people are beginning to be brave. For
Malaysians it is a giant step. We have never
seen anything like this before. It is unlike Malay
culture to be so aggressive," she added.
"We are not afraid to be part of the gathering.
We are not scared to be in a big crowd. It is
just a verbal expression of discontent and
frustration."
An officer worker in his late twenties said
the public could "no longer accept all the lies made
by Mahathir and his cabinet.
"Mahathir has run out of ideas. We can no longer
accept his orders. This is a form of
defiance," the young man said. "All the country's
wealth has been given to his children and his
friends. The Malaysian people have been impoverished.
We hate the government and the
leadership of Mahathir."