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Bazuki Muhammad / Reuters
A protester is led away by his companions during clashes with police in Kuala Lumpur, Saturday.
Updated at 7:05 a.m. ET: Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon on Saturday at a crowd of up to 25,000 protesters who had converged on the center of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur to demand changes to an electoral system.
Demonstrators also battled with police at a train station nearby, throwing bottles at officers who responded by firing tear gas rounds.
Thousands who had been confronting police outside the city's historic Merdeka Square were scattered after riot police fired water cannon and then at least 10 rounds of tear gas into the crowd. The police said they had been forced to react after protesters tried to force their way through barriers and enter the square.
The violence could carry political risks for Prime Minister Najib Razak if it is seen as unjustified, possibly forcing him to delay elections that must be called by next March but which could be held as early as June. Najib's approval rating tumbled after July last year when police were accused of a heavy handed response to the last major electoral reform rally by the Bersih (Clean) group.
Bazuki Muhammad / Reuters
A protester with a message taped over his mouth takes part in the Bersih (Clean) rally near Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur, Saturday.
"They asked the crowd to disperse but did not give enough warning," said Aminah Bakri, 27, with tears streaming down her face from the tear gas exposure.
Police shut down much of the city center and enforced a court order that the protesters should not enter the symbolically important Merdeka Square.
The Bersih (Clean) group that is leading the protest earlier said it would obey the ban but will march as close as possible to the square, raising the possibility of a repeat of violent clashes that marred Bersih's last major protest in July 2011.
Protesters posted on Twitter claiming to have been hit by the tear gas.
Photojournalist Jason Lioh posted: "1st hand experience of tear gas. Cried my eyes out & nearly puked myself out. Skins are stinging. Took salt and it helped. #Bersih"
"Now it looks like we will have to fight for our right to gather at Merdeka Square as well as fight for free and fair elections," said Muhammed Hafiz, a 28-year-old store clerk who was preparing to join the protest.
Organizers hoped the protest will draw 100,000 people, including thousands demonstrating against a controversial rare earths plant being built by Australian firm Lynas on the country's east coast. That would make it the biggest protest since the "Reformasi" (Reform) demonstrations in 1998 against then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Bazuki Muhammad / Reuters
Protesters of the Bersih (Clean) group shout slogans near Dataran Merdeka, also known as Independence Square, in Kuala Lumpur, Saturday.
A police official estimated the protesters numbered 15,000 to 20,000 by midday with just one arrest reported.
The protest is a delicate challenge for the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak, possibly affecting the timing of elections that he is preparing to call as early as June.
Najib must be mindful of conservatives in his party who are wary that his moves to relax tough security laws and push limited election reforms could threaten their 55-year hold on power.
Malaysia economy "turns the corner"; fiscal reform to be gradual
Last July's rally, more than 10,000-strong, ended in violence when police fired tear gas and water cannons at the yellow-shirted protesters, drawing criticism of a heavy-handed response and sending Najib's popularity sliding. His approval rating has since rebounded to 69 percent, according to one poll.
Police helicopters buzzed overhead on Saturday morning as protesters gathered. Reuters correspondents saw about 200 riot police stationed in the square and five water cannons heading to the site where Malaysia declared independence from Britain.
Mark Baker / AP
Police move to try and stop a group of protesters as they march through the central business district in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday.
Bersih, an independent movement whose goals are backed by the opposition, has a history of staging influential rallies as Malaysians have demanded more freedoms and democratic rights in the former British colony that has an authoritarian streak.
The National Front is trying to recover from its worst ever election result in 2008 when it lost its two-thirds majority in parliament, giving the diverse, three-party opposition led by former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim real hope of taking power.
Najib has replaced tough security laws - ending indefinite detention without trial - relaxed some media controls, and pushed reforms to the electoral system that critics have long complained is rigged in the government's favor. A bipartisan parliamentary committee set up by Najib this month issued 22 proposals for electoral reform, including steps to clean up electoral rolls and equal access to media.
However, the government gave no guarantee that any of the steps will be in place for the next election.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
wow..
great photo of the guy with sunglasses and tape on mouth...great work
free speech rules..
i saved that one, awesome. u can see all the crowd in reflection...great picture
I agree. That was a great photograph.
Why is it that govts try to wipe protest out by using violence against the protesters? Chicago was given a grant of $20 million to use on security against possible NATO protesters. Occupy has been a non-violent protest group, the only violence coming from the paramilitary police who beat, punch, and pepper spray the protesters. In a democracy or other form of free society, protest is a good thing. It's what keeps govts accountable and democracies representative of the people.
all hail oakley!!
incredible pictures..ty
http://bazuki.com/recent/
This kind of protest is heartening and should be supported by the U.S., which seems to coddle these "soft dictatorships" if they have trade ties.
Country run by gangsters and thugs. The US should stop any support. Remember this a election year.
Hmmm sounds like the OWS...its world wide..people want their voices back from the 1 %.
i don't see the connection with people wanting a clear election and college kids financially supported by unions and other liberal special interest groups to create chaos out of nothing and distract against the failures of the Obama administration
Madening (what is a "madening" anyway?), the reason you don't see the connection is that Faux News hasn't explained it to you in that way. Instead, you've been spoonfed an explanation for OWS that includes all your favorite boogeymen. It's just a vast conspiracy by them libruls to create chaos out of nothing, because everything's just peachy ... aside from that non-Republican in the White House. Right?
...The building of a rare earth refinery and Malaysian people worried about possible health and environmental risks. More on the corporate side of it...
nytimes.com/2012/03/22/business/global/political-and-construction-holdups-for-malaysia-rare-earths-plant.html
(sarcasm)
Man what a bunch of dirty hippies! They obviously need to GET A JOB.
Wanting rights? The Nerve! Shut up, sit down, and don't question anything ever. Just do as your told.
(/sarcasm)
I hope the people of the world support the brave people of Malaysia. We have been systematically discriminated upon by the government for over 50 years, corruption is rampant at all levels and generally accepted, Billions squandered time and time again and guess what, racism is institutionalised in Malaysia, where people can be held without trial or charges, for years and years, under the guise of "National Security", when in reality, are just people of opposition party.
Help us, let the world know.
America supports the people of Malaysia in their struggle for freedom. It is not that different from our own struggles to rid the U.S. of the corrupting influence of Wall St. and the banking industry.
Does Bersih have a website where people can send donations? And some means of assuring people that the site is genuine? That would help.
As an American living in Malaysia, I cannot involve myself in local political issues, but I fully support Bersih 3.0 and these people who seek transparent, fair elections. It's amazing to watch my Malaysian friends finding their voices and coming together with a common love of their country, and a desire to see it advance and improve... really putting Najib's "1Malaysia" slogan into action, rather than just paying lip service to it like the government does. The right to peaceably assemble is something we often take for granted in the US. I am proud of these Malaysians who are making the effort to push their country towards a truer representation of democracy.
A ruling coalition that has held power for 55 years will not abdicate that power easily, and the 2008 elections heralded a new mindset within the Malaysian electorate.
"Give us our voice back", while he sports a peachy pair of Oakleys. Just what we need, more energy for the ineffective Occupy idiots.
Realistically though, this movement is different then the Occupy Movement. One can't really link the two. Basic human rights vs anti-government and corporate paranoia, just don't quite reach the same level of equality.
Good luck Malaysia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt224G3c6WE&feature=related
Save Malaysia
maylasia needs private investment...they're just scared that the same thing will happen from a decade + ago. however, the NRC has deemed that the plant will be safe. I understand their concern, I'd just like to see some progress as well as a release of chinese-controlled REE supplies.
Suppressed clan uprising or just a bunch of have nots wanting wealth redistribution or jobs .Which beef is it? I can't tell.
Just another example of where this world is headed. If governments are taking rights of people, what can people do to fight back? Do you really think that an election year, here is going to bring good change. That's what people thought before? Remember hope and change?
Isn't there something illogical about protesting via facebook a rare earth mining operation??
Since the rare earth mining operation provides material for boards for PC's , Laptops, tablets and smart phones???
The rights & election reforms part I understand.
But:" Organizers hoped the protest will draw 100,000 people, including thousands demonstrating against a controversial rare earths plant being built by Australian firm Lynas on the country's east coast. "??????
Want only China to provide them?? Our country should visit the subject as well. For national security reasons , if nothing else.
My Girlfriend was involved with the protest in Malaysia. What people dont understand is that there is a a 2 class system you are either a Malay(muslim) or you are not. Just like what we had here in the states when the Black population was concidered 2nd class. I was just over there in Dec./Jan. and witnessed first hand how bad it really is for all the non-muslim, especially the Malaysian ethnic Chinese. The Chinese have been basically written out of their history. One just needs to go to the National Museum and see that Government has changed history to say that the muslims were reason why Malaysia is a free country and giving The Chinese no historical importance even though without them Malaysia would not be Malaysia. My girlfriend told me the Museum was very different 10 years when they used to go there in school.
Im Glad she is part of the Bersih and she has a chance to change Malaysia for the Future.
IU also forgot to mention that the News stories from Malaysian approved media has stated only about 20,000 to 25,000 people protested today that is totally wrong it was more like 100,000+ demostrated at the rally
NOTE: Not ALL Muslims are like that in Malaysia. As you can see from the pictures posted in the article, a LARGE number of the protesters that showed up at the rally are Malays/ Muslims. I am Malay/ Malaysian. I should know. Just want to point out some facts here so the public doesn't lump us all in the same loony bin.
U.S. should take notes and do the same. Nobody stands together in the U.S. and nobody will. Pathetic.
Constitutional Monarchy is the form of government. The Islamic Parliament cannot be challenged in anyway and Malay sovereignty cannot be questioned in anway. Nothing like OWS.
Best independent news and more detail here:
Whoop I'll try again for the independent news:
www dot malaysia-today dot net