Anti-war protest staged outside British High Commission
A 1,000-strong crowd gathered outside the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon to protest against British and American plans to wage war against Iraq.
The anti-war rally, led by key opposition leaders, began marching to the high commission after performing Friday prayers at the Pilgrims Fund Board mosque in Jalan Ampang.
The crowd was under the constant supervision of a strong police ground-and-air presence. All demonstrations are banned by the Malaysian government since last year.
They chanted for the US to "stop the killing", amid cries of
Allahu Akbar
(God is great). A huge banner calling for a boycott of all American and British products has also been erected.
Other banners condemned US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, calling them "Terrorists", "Great Satan " and "War mongers". They also called for peace, holding banners which read "Peace, not war" and "Food, not bombs".
A 1,000-strong crowd gathered outside the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon to protest against British and American plans to wage war against Iraq.
The anti-war rally, led by key opposition leaders, began marching to the high commission after performing Friday prayers at the Pilgrims Fund Board mosque in Jalan Ampang.
The crowd was under the constant supervision of a strong police ground-and-air presence. All demonstrations are banned by the Malaysian government since last year.
They chanted for the US to "stop the killing", amid cries of Allahu Akbar (God is great). A huge banner calling for a boycott of all American and British products has also been erected.
Other banners condemned US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, calling them "Terrorists", "Great Satan " and "War mongers". They also called for peace, holding banners which read "Peace, not war" and "Food, not bombs".
Protest note
Meanwhile, 12 opposition leaders led by PAS vice president Mustafa Ali went inside the British High Commission to submit a protest note to High Commissioner Bruce Cleghorn.
Other opposition leaders who also entered the building were PAS secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa, PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali and anti-war activist Dr Alijah Gordon.
The note, from four opposition political parties PAS, Keadilan, PRM and DAP and 11 non-governmental organisations, stated that any decision for military action against a sovereign nation could only be legally or morally taken through the United Nations.
"We regret that Britain has supported the United States' unilateral position on the matter and is trying to justify going to war even without the explicit endorsement of the UN," the note stated.
Speaking to the media at the end of the one-hour rally, Mustafa said today's protest was similar to the one held outside the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur early this year to protest the US attack on Afghanistan.
"By stopping Britain (which is US' strongest ally), we hope the US will stop attacking Iraq because it needs an ally to go to war," Mustafa told reporters.
Sign of protest
On the boycott of American and British products, Mustafa said it was an immediate reaction as a sign of protest against the two superpowers.
Kuala Lumpur acting police chief Dell Akbar Khan said the police has allowed the opposition leaders to speak to the crowd after submitting the note to the British High Commissioner.
"The gathering was peaceful without any untoward incident," Dell said.
However, the anti-war protest this year outside the US Embassy turned ugly when the police allegedly acted in a high-handed manner.
Among those hit by water cannons fired from police trucks during the demonstration at Jalan Tun Razak then was the late PAS president Fadzil Noor.
None of the Barisan Nasional representatives from its 14 component parties turned up at the rally today although they were also invited by the organisers.
