I watched the rally via www.tvPAS.com.

Gathering in Kuala Lumpur 10 Nov 2007 - al Jazeera version

Malaysia police turn water cannon on protesters
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Police in the Malaysian capital used water cannon and fired tear gas shells on Saturday to scatter crowds gathering for a banned opposition rally to demand changes to the country’s electoral system.

Although hundreds of policemen, including riot police with shields and batons, guarded Kuala Lumpur’s landmark Merdeka (Freedom) Square, tens of thousands of people turned out for one of Malaysia’s biggest anti-government rallies since 1998.

“Police sprayed water cannons twice to disperse a crowd of about 500 protesters chanting slogans,” said a Reuters witness who watched the incident outside a historic domed mosque guarded by about 50 riot police, as helicopters hovered overhead.

Nearby, another group of 2,000 protesters, chiefly teenagers wearing yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Bersih,” or “Clean” in Malay, marched in heavy rain towards the city’s colonial-era railway station.

They chanted “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest) and “Reformasi,” a reform demand that was the war chant of 1998 opposition protests, while waving banners reading “Save Malaysia” and “Election Commission, stop your tricks.”

Malaysians hold huge rally for free elections
Kuala Lumpur (dpa) - Malaysian police on Saturday fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse tens of thousands of demonstrators who gathered in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to rally for fair elections in the country’s largest anti-government protest in almost 10 years.

Despite the pouring rain and heavy police presence, more than 10,000 people gathered early Saturday at several different locations in the city centre and marched their way to the royal palace to hand in a memorandum appealing for royal intervention in the coming elections, which is not due until 2009 but is widely expected to be held before the end of the year.

Shouting “Long Live the king” and “Save Malaysia,” the protestors, who donned yellow as a sign of support for royalty, waited outside the palace gates until the king’s secretary received the memorandum from president of the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia, Abdul Hadi Awang.

Malaysian police on alert against planned rally
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) — The police were on high alert in Malasian capital Kuala Lumpur on Saturday as some local non-governmental groups staged a rally, demanding “fair elections” in the country.

Massive police presence was seen near Merdeka Square, or Independence Square, in the downtown of Kuala Lumpur in the rain and the road traffic, which was usually thin on Saturday and Sunday, snarled around nearby areas.

A police helicopter was seen cycling over the square. At least one hundred demonstrators, who apparently failed to enter the square, were seen marching on foot along a major avenue while several police riding on motorbikes blocked their way ahead.

Malaysian police fire tear gas, water cannon on protesters demanding electoral reforms
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysian police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of activists Saturday at an opposition-backed rally demanding electoral reforms in the biggest anti-government street protest in nearly 10 years.

Police estimated the crowds to be between 10,000 and 30,000.

The demonstrators were stopped by a police cordon near the Masjid Jamek mosque in central Kuala Lumpur as they tried to march to Merdeka (Independence) Square, where the rally was scheduled.

Shouting “Allahu Akbar,” or God is great, the protesters were sent running when police fired tear gas and a water canon. An Associated Press reporter saw many people run into the mosque to take shelter. When they re-emerged the water cannon was let loose again.

Rally organizers said police arrested 20 people, though police officials did not immediately say if they had arrested anyone. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Malaysia police move to foil opposition rally
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Malaysian police stepped up security in the capital on Saturday, effectively shutting down the city centre to try to foil a banned opposition rally demanding changes to the electoral system, witnesses said.

Hundreds of policemen, including riot police backed by water cannon, guarded the landmark Merdeka (Freedom) Square, where tens of thousands of protesters had intended to gather in one of the biggest anti-government rallies since 1998.

“We will not hesitate to take action against those who defied our orders,” news agency Bernama on Saturday quoted Kuala Lumpur police chief Zul Hasnan Najib as saying. The police have refused to grant a permit for the rally.

Photo from meshio.com. Credit to the owner.

Photo from harakahdaily.com.