KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Malaysian police detained 12 activists and tightened security ahead of a rally Saturday by electoral reform group Bersih seeking Prime Minister Najib Razak’s resignation over a financial scandal.
Police barricaded key roads in downtown Kuala Lumpur and put water-cannon trucks on standby, but it did not stop protesters who began trickling in. Some were chanting “Save Democracy” and “Bersih, Bersih”- which means “clean” in the Malay language.
The protesters were gathering at several meeting points and plan to march on Independent Square, the main venue that was locked down.
Bersih said on Twitter that police raided its office on Friday and detained its chairwoman Maria Chin and another official Mandeep Singh. It said at least seven others including several politicians have also been held. It said police also confiscated laptops, mobile phones and bank statements.
“Despite the authorities’ desperate measures to stop us, (the rally) will go on,” the group tweeted.