ANTI-ISA DEMONSTRATIONS IN KUALA LUMPUR MEET WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000633

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS AND INR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MY
SUBJECT: ANTI-ISA DEMONSTRATIONS IN KUALA LUMPUR MEET WITH
HEAVY GOM RESPONSE

Classified By: Political Counselor Brian D. McFeeters for reasons 1.4 b
and d.

Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) On August 1, thousands of protestors assembled on
the streets of downtown Kuala Lumpur calling for the repeal
of the Internal Security Act (ISA),this despite extensive
government warnings in the days leading up to the
demonstration and police efforts to lock down the center of
town and prevent protestors from assembling. Police used
overwhelming force in the form of water canons and tear gas
to disperse this first major street demonstration since the
advent of the Najib administration. 589 were initially
arrested; most of those were subsequently released by the
authorities. The opposition has used the incident to portray
the government as intolerant of dissent. The PM and
government have emphasized that the ISA law is under review
and that there were alternative venues for protest other than
the streets. End Summary.

ISA focus of protest
--------------


2. (SBU) Downtown Kuala Lumpur became a battle zone on August
1 as police used tear gas and chemically laced water to
disperse thousands of protestors calling for the repeal of
the Internal Security Act (ISA). Acting PolCounselor and
PolSpecialist observed the protest, the first major
demonstration since Najib Tun Razak became Prime Minister in
April 2009. It was organized by the NGO Abolish ISA Movement
(AIM) and backed by the opposition coalition Peoples Alliance
(PR). AIM has been in the forefront in urging the government
to repeal the 1960 act, originally targeted at communist
insurgents, that allows detention without trial. Opposition
leaders and human rights activists maintain that the law has
been used by the ruling National Front to stifle dissent in
Malaysia. Currently around 17 people, a majority of them
alleged members of JI, are detained under the Act.

Both sides lay down the gauntlet
--------------


3. (SBU) AIM initially called for 100,000 people to march to
the national palace and hand over a memorandum urging the
King to dissolve the Act. Over the past two weeks, the NGO
and the PR had embarked on a major drive to bring out a large
crowd, distributing fliers, using blogs and sending SMS
messages. The fliers urged people to gather at three
strategic places in the city; to prepare for tear gas and
chemically laced water by bringing along towels, face masks,
salt and bottled water, and in the case of students, to avoid
carrying their student identifications. (Note: Students from
public universities are prohibited from participating in
protests without written permission from university
authorities. End Note.) Perhaps most significantly, on the
eve of the demonstration the Islamic party PAS urged all of
its members and supporters to converge on the downtown area.
In the meantime, Police and Government officials made
abundantly clear that they considered the planned protests
illegal and would use all necessary force to disperse them.
They noted that no permits had been issued for the
demonstration and warned that stern action would be taken
against anyone illegally assembling.

Pro-ISA group also joins fray
--------------


4. (SBU) While AIM and the PR were preparing for the protest,
a pro-ISA group closely associated with the ruling
coalition's Pembela Negara Federation of Non-Governmental
Organizations Council (Magaran),which claims to have 56 NGOs
under its wing with over 100,000 members, gave AIM an
ultimatum to cancel the rally or face a counter rally on the
same day. However, Perkasa, another pro-government NGO,
joined the fray and filed a police report on July 27 urging
police to stop the rallies by AIM and Magaran as "they could
lead to rioting."

Overwhelming Police response
--------------


5. (C) On the morning of August 1, Acting PolCouns and
PolSpecialist observed an exceptionally heavy police presence
at points leading to the city center. Opposition sources

KUALA LUMP 00000633 002 OF 002


told us that the police were detaining anyone possessing any
paraphernalia relating to the protest. Despite these
measures, thousands of marchers materialized in the vicinity
of the national mosque and approached the Merdeka square
area, where police fired barrages of tear gas and dozens of
water cannon trucks sprayed chemically laced water on the
crowds (and numerous tourists and bystanders) without any
warning. Several people were also severely beaten by the
riot squad, including PAS Member of Parliament Dr. Hatta
Ramli, an event captured on video. The march and subsequent
skirmishes lasted for four hours, with 589 people reportedly
arrested. The great majority of the marchers were Malays.


6. (C) Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department chief
Ku Chin Wah told reporters that of those arrested 560 were
released and the remaining 29, including Peoples Justice
Party Vice president and de facto opposition leader Anwar
Ibrahim's lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah were remanded to face
charges. Sivarasa was released on August 3 on police bail.
Incidentally the pro-ISA group's plan to protest against AIM
did not materialize. One of its leaders told reporters that
they have decided to abide by the police directive not
organize a counter protest. However press sources told
poloffs that the pro-ISA group cancelled their plans because
very few people gathered to support their cause, and the
feared clash of pro and anti-ISA groups did not materialize.

Government, Opposition reactions
--------------


7. (SBU) Interestingly, among the ruling coalition partners,
only United Malays National Organization (UMNO) leaders
condemned the protest. PM Najib called the ISA-linked
demonstrations "unnecessary" since the government was in the
process of reviewing the Act. Home Minister Hishamuddin told
reporters August 2 that amendments to the Act "that will not
compromise national security" would be tabled in the next
session of Parliament. However, Minister in the PM's
Department Nazri Abdul Aziz condemned the opposition parties
for organizing the protest and added that "as long as the BN
rules the laws stays." Government owned media downplayed the
protest claiming that only 5,000 people took part (Note. We
estimated that higher estimates of 20,000 to 30,000 were
probably more accurate. End Note.),praised police for being
"highly professional" and lamented the "inconvenience caused"
by the protest to businesses and the people in general.


8. (SBU) Opposition leaders condemned the "high handed and
highly unprofessional conduct" of the police, describing them
as "puppets of the UMNO elite." Anwar Ibrahim maintained
that the dispersal of the demonstrators proved that the
Government "does not tolerate dissent." Democratic Action
Party (DAP) senior advisor Lim Kit Siang urged the police to
concentrate on efforts to bring down the increasing crime
rate in the country rather than on "peaceful, patriotic
advocates for abolition of ISA." PAS Vice President Mahfouz
Omar stated that police have never adhered to standard
operating procedure when opposition rallies are involved and
condemned the violent action against the peaceful protestors.
KEITH