POLICE FORCED TO USE TEAR GAS

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- Police were forced to use tear gas to
disperse some 10,000 people from participating in gatherings organised by the
Abolish the ISA Movement (GMI)in several locations in the city Saturday.

The some of the locations, many of the demonstrators were seen running into
business premises nearby when police fired the tear gas.

The incident caused most traders in the affected areas to close their
business.

Operators at the Sogo shopping centre were ordered to close their business
premises at about 1.30pm to prevent any untoward incident.

Two of the Light Rail Transport (LRT) stations in the city were also closed.

The GMI supporters had gathered in small groups in several locations before
walking towards the Sogo shopping centre at 2pm. Among those seen in the group
were People's Justice Party (PKR) adviser Anwar Ibrahim and Democratic Action
Party (DAP) adviser Lim Kit Siang.

As at 1.30pm Saturday, police had arrested 157 people in several locations
in the city.

Meanwhile, a group which claimed to support the Internal Security Act ISA,
Majlis Permuafakatan Ummah (Pewaris), complied with police order and cancelled
the gathering it planned to hold at the Central Market.

Its spokesman, Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, said Pewaris would be sending
10 representatives to hand over a memorandum in support of the ISA to the
Malaysian King.

"The gathering has been cancelled because we do not want to create a tense
situation," he added.
-- BERNAMA