POLICE THWART PRICE HIKE PROTEST, DETAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000062 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MTS AND DRL -- JANE KIM E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM SOCI MY SUBJECT: POLICE THWART PRICE HIKE PROTEST, DETAIN OPPOSITION LEADERS REF: A. 07 KUALA LUMPUR 1694 - EMBASSY RAISES CONCERNS ¶B. 07 KUALA LUMPUR 1691 - ANOTHER PROTEST PLANNED ¶C. 07 KUALA LUMPUR 1684 - GOM TRIES TO KEEP LID ON ¶D. 07 KUALA LUMPUR 1647 - POLICE BREAK UP INDIAN PROTEST Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MARK D. CLARK FOR REASONS 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Opposition political activists attempted unsuccessfully to stage a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on January 26 against government policies and price hikes. Police arrested the protest leaders, including senior opposition party officials, before the demonstration took form, and charged 34 with illegal assembly. The intention and timing of the thwarted January 26 protest had more to do with the impending national elections than with rising prices. Sharp actions by the police during previous demonstrations, and use of the Internal Security Act against ethnic Indian protest leaders, may have sapped some of the opposition's energy for taking their cause to the streets. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Opposition political activists, under the banner of the newly created NGO Coalition Against Inflation (PROTES), attempted unsuccessfully to stage a demonstration on Saturday, January 26, against impending hikes in fuel prices and other essential goods and services at Kuala Lumpur's landmark Petronas Twin Towers and its high-end shopping complex, KLCC. The protest drew support from the following: Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS),People's Justice Party (PKR),Democratic Action Front (DAP),the non-registered Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM),and several NGOs. Organizers made clear that they would not apply for a police permit for the protest, as required by law but very rarely granted for opposition events. The Malaysian government (GOM) declared the assembly illegal and warned that police would arrest immediately any individuals attending the protest. The GOM deployed over 500 police, federal reserve units (riot police),and members of the paramilitary volunteer auxiliary (RELA),according to Embassy observation. Police placed barricades immediately next to KLCC to prevent easy entry into the city's iconic business center. Nevertheless, police allowed all principal thoroughfares to remain open for most of the day rather than close the streets as was done during previous protests. ¶3. (SBU) The protest organizers planned for the demonstration to begin around 3 p.m., but it never gained steam. The organizers announced their target of 3,000 participants, but garnered only 200-300 would-be demonstrators. Police immediately detained organizers and opposition leaders as they arrived. Some detainees chanted "reformasi" (the reform slogan of 1998-99) and "power to the people" as the police trucks took them away before a swarm of local and international media. Police eventually detained some 55 persons for participation in the demonstration, including several high profile opposition leaders. Among those held were: PAS Vice President Mohamed Sabu, PAS Women's leader Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi, PAS Treasurer Hatta Ramli, Head of PAS Research Center Dzulkifli Ahmad, PKR Information Chief Tian Chua, PKR Supreme Council member Badrul Amin, PSM Chairman Nasir Hashim, PSM Deputy Chairman Sarawathy, and PSM Secretary General S. Arutchelvan. Also arrested was Syed SIPDIS Jayal Zahiid, a journalist from the online portal, Malaysiakini, as he interviewed a police officer about the arrests. ¶4. (U) Beginning the evening of January 26, authorities released 20 of the 55 arrested without charges. On January 28, 34 people were charged in Kuala Lumpur sessions court for illegal assembly and were all later released on bail. The Malaysiakini journalist, Syed Jayal Zahiid, was charged separately with obstructing a police officer and also released after posting bail. The court set a trial date of June 16-18 for all of the accused. ¶5. (C) Comment: The intention and timing of the thwarted January 26 protest had more to do with the impending national elections (widely expected by early March) than with rising prices, as opposition parties are attempting to stir up "reformasi" era dissatisfaction with the government that allowed for opposition gains in the 1999 polls. The low turnout and the police's better management of the protest, compared to previous demonstrations, transformed it into a non-event for most Malaysians. Sharp actions by the police during prior demonstrations, and use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) on December 12 to detain without trial five ethnic KUALA LUMP 00000062 002 OF 002 Indian protest leaders, may have sapped some of the opposition's energy for taking their cause to the streets. KEITH