January 07, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Police chief Tan Sri Ismail Omar said today all gatherings on Monday except in the parking area at the Jalan Duta court complex will be deemed illegal and warned that stern action will be taken.
The Inspector General of Police (picture)also insisted that organisers of the so-called 901 rally in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when the High Court here finally rules on his two-year-long sodomy trial, must abide by 10 conditions set out by Sentul police.
“Gatherings other than in the parking area in front of the High Court, on the day of the trial, are outlawed.
“Police will be firm and act on those that do not meet conditions,” he told reporters here today, adding that the parking area can only fit 5,000 people.
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali had announced on Tuesday that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will be amassing a rally of over 100,000 people when the court delivers its verdict on Monday.
He also said today PKR does not accept conditions set by police for Monday’s public rally as they were only outlined after the party had obtained police permission to gather in support of its de facto leader.
Sentul police had issued 10 conditions last night, barring participants supporting Opposition Leader Anwar from “making noise” and disallowing any speeches from being made.
The conditions also bar participants from carrying any banners to support the Permatang Pauh MP at the gathering which is being held as the High Court here delivers its verdict in the highly-charged Sodomy II trial.
The police had met a PKR delegation yesterday morning before deciding to allow the rally to go ahead in the parking area of the Jalan Duta court complex.
No conditions were mentioned by Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Mohmad Salleh during a brief, joint press conference with PKR after their meeting.
PKR leaders have also said no conditions were set during the meeting.
But Sentul police issued the conditions yesterday evening after “considering safety and public order factors.”
Among the other conditions are that the public must disperse one hour after the verdict; and that the organisers are only allowed to use two loudhailers for the purpose of crowd control.
Anwar, 64, is charged with sodomising former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a condominium in upscale Damansara Heights here in June 2008, a few months before returning from a decade in the political wilderness and winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.
This represents the second time he has been prosecuted for sodomy.
If found guilty, he could spend up to 20 years behind bars but will escape the caning penalty as he is over 60. It would effectively spell the end of his political career and his chance to be prime minister.
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