Heavy police presence at BERSIH vigil (live blogging) - malaysiakini

Live blogging: Live blogging of BERSIH vigil

Malaysiakini's report:

Polls reform movement Bersih will be holding a candlelight vigil tonight at 9pm in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

MCPX

The venue for the vigil - held in commemoration of the Nov 10 rally which attracted about 50,000 people last year - is the MBPJ stadium opposite Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

This is the same venue where vigils for prisoners of conscience - those detained under the Internal Security Act - have been held for four consecutive weeks.

Tonight's vigil will feature speakers from both civil society groups and political parties.

Bersih - of in full the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections - calls for electoral reform as well as for the abolition of the ISA in a push for a democratic and free Malaysia.

A similar rally will also be held in Ipoh tonight to commemorate the first anniversary of the Bersih rally In Kuala Lumpur last year.

At the same time, organisers are also encouraging members of the public to hold their own candlelight vigils elsewhere in the country to light up ‘a better tomorrow'.

As at 7pm, eye-witnesses told Malaysiakini that roads leading to the PJ field have been blocked by the police.

People are even complaining that they were not allowed to go to a famous fast food outlet in the vicinity.

Many have resorted to park their vehicle in PJ new town - some two-kilometre away -and walk towards the field to take part in the vigil.

It reminds me of this time last year. Police using the rakyat's resources to deny the rights of the rakyat.