A massive traffic jam has built up several kilometres from the "100,000 People's Gathering" venue at Kuala Langat, 4km off the Klang-Banting highway, resulting in participants arriving late for the event scheduled to start at 2.30pm today.

Those who turned off the Kesas highway at about 3pm are still caught in the jam one hour later, and are still making slow progress by car to the Keadilan event held at a supporter's private land at Kampung Medan Telok Panglima Garang.

According to sources who arrived earlier at the scene, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail addressed the gathering at about 3pm at the the party's "open house" to mark Hari Raya, Christmas Chinese New Year and Ponggal festivals.

An estimated crowd of some 6,000 people had arrived by 4.30pm, with more people still streaming in while others left after being entertained to food and drinks, and speeches by Barisan Alternatif leaders, including DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang and PRM chief Dr Syed Husin Ali.

No kompang, lion dance

But conspicuously absent were the promised lion dance, kompang and Indian musical presentation, believed to have been cancelled by the organisers on police instruction at the eleventh hour yesterday.

According to event organiser Sa'ari Sungib, the lion dance troupe and the kompang group were turned away by the police at the entrance of the venue. "We were told that we need to apply for a special permit for such cultural performances," he told malaysiakini.

However, he said that the Indian traditional drummers managed "sneak" into the area and performed for about five minutes.

Earlier, the police have issued a permit to Keadilan approving the gathering on condition that the gathering would not feature any political speeches, and there would be proper traffic control and the event to end by 7pm.

Groups of police personnel were stationed around the venue but there has been no untoward incident reported to date.