16/12: Talk of KL racial clashes 'just rumours'

Not true that Malays and Hindraf supporters are holding rallies: Abdullah

By Hazlin Hassan, Malaysia Correspondent
The Straits Times

MALAYSIA'S Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has dismissed SMS messages about racial clashes as fear-inciting rumours.

He also refuted talk that Malays would be congregating today in Kampung Baru, a Malay enclave about 1km from the Petronas Twin Towers, while supporters of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) would gather at the Batu Caves.

'They are mere rumours. The Malays have not said anything about holding any gathering tomorrow. As far as I know, there's none,' he said after chairing the Umno Supreme Council meeting here yesterday.

'Don't make up stories and scare people,' he said.

State news agency Bernama said rumours of racial unrest are being spread verbally, via SMS messages and on the Internet.

Datuk Seri Abdullah said the police would take appropriate action against those bent on undermining national security and harmony.

Earlier, Malaysia's police chief, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, warned that those behind the SMS rumours could be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

'We have our intelligence and we are prepared,' he said.

The situation in Kampung Baru late yesterday appeared calm as people gathered for a late-night bite at popular food stalls.

A road block manned by about half a dozen policemen was spotted at a main road in Kampung Baru. Police road blocks are usually set up in areas around the Twin Towers but not in the Kampung Baru area.

Datuk Seri Abdullah said street demonstrations would not force the government into making changes.

Chairing the party's Supreme Council meeting on Friday, he stressed that policies which had been drafted or changed were done through proper channels.

He said this ensured that democracy in Malaysia remained intact and the people appreciated it.

The Prime Minister, who is also the Internal Security Minister, also said he had asked Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to consider the appeals by 31 people who took part in an illegal demonstration at the Batu Caves last month, and drop the attempted murder charges against them.

Datuk Seri Abdullah said he sympathised with them and believed that they were misled by the group behind the illegal assemblies on Nov 25.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, told the United States to look at its own backyard first, when asked to comment on a US State Department demand that Malaysia give a fair trial to five Indian activists detained under the ISA.

'Can they give a fair trial to the detainees in Guantanamo Bay? We'll respond only if they do so,' Datuk Seri Najib told a press conference on Friday.

The detention camp at Guantanamo Bay holds people the US accuses of being terrorist operatives.

On Thursday, five key leaders of Hindraf, which organised a mass anti-government rally last month in Kuala Lumpur, were arrested under the ISA.

They were ordered to be detained for two years and taken to the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping, Perak.