From: US observer <dontmail@me.com>  Date: Monday, September 28, 1998 10:20 AM

Groups unite to bring down Mahathir

BARRY PORTER in Kuala Lumpur, Sept 28: Malaysia's fledgling people's protest movement took a major step forward yesterday with the launch of two opposition coalition groups to campaign for Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's downfall.

Tens of thousands of sympathisers flocked to the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak last night for the launch of Gerakan Keadilan Rakyat [People's Justice Movement], a coalition of 17 political parties and non-government organisations.

Police allowed the five-hour rally in the grounds and surrounding streets of the Parti Islam SeMalysia (PAS) headquarters to go ahead despite the lack of a permit.

Earlier in the day four political parties and 18 predominantly secular non-government organisations teamed up to create Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat [The Coalition for People's Democracy]. Both coalitions intend to work in unison to fight for justice and political reform.

"We hope this will be a beginning of real change," said Tian Chua, from the human rights group Suaram who will be Gagasan's chairman.

Police did their best to spoil Gagasan's launch. A planned inaugural rally in the ballroom of the Federal Hotel in Kuala Lumpur was prevented after police told the hotel's management to seal the doors.

Instead, all Gagasan's leaders could do was hold a press conference in a jam-packed tiny side room. Any assembly of over five people without a special police permit is technically illegal in Malaysia.

Gagasan members include the long-established Democratic Action Party (DAP), PAS, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) and the Socialist Party of Malaysia, many of whose leaders have previously been jailed.

The DAP, PAS and PRM are also members of Gerak, along with a host of Islamic and other groups.

Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, the wife of detained former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, was supposed to be one of the many speakers at Gerakan's launch, but failed to make it following police warnings against speaking in public. A printed version of her undelivered speech said: "I am confident that if Anwar is aware of what is happening here he will surely be very proud."

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