KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Authorities have confirmed a city-wide lock out with fresh directives for the shutdown of the Puduraya bus station starting midnight tomorrow as well as closures of major roads in the city centre.Electon watchdog Bersih today warned that the latest move would make the government no different from repressive regimes in the Middle East who have utilised similar means to control dissent.
“On no uncertain terms that any repression, intimidation and obstacles will not for an instant dilute our resolve to gather peacefully at Stadium Merdeka at 2pm on July 9, 2011, after which we will disperse just as peacefully,” Bersih president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said today in a statement.
The Puduraya station, a major destination in the city, conducts an average of 300 bus trips daily. The station is located two kilometres away from Stadium Merdeka- where Bersih plans to hold its rally this Saturday.
UDA Holdings Bhd chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (picture) confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that the station’s operations will be stopped starting midnight tomorrow as well as Saturday.
“I have been informed that bus operations in Puduraya station will be stopped tomorrow midnight and also for the whole of Saturday...perhaps this measure is taken along with the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and police action,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar confirmed this morning that Putrajaya has frozen temporary bus permits for travel across the peninsula to Kuala Lumpur, saying the commission did not want traffic congestion in the capital city.
Buses heading to the north and east of the Peninsula will be redirected to the Jalan Duta bus station, while buses heading to south will be operating from the Integrated Teminal bus station in Bandar Tasik Selatan.
The rally’s organisers are also concerned that there might be a “full or partial” clampdown on the internet before July 9.
“(We) are alarmed by intelligence that there might be a full or partial clampdown on the internet as we approach this weekend,” Ambiga said.
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