<div>100,000 throng Stadium Merdeka for 'Uprising' rally
10:08AM Jan 12, 2013
http://www.malaysiakini.com/
Downtown Kuala Lumpur is expected to be swamped with thousands of Pakatan Rakyat supporters as part of the coalition's final show of force ahead of a crucial general election.
Organisers are hoping that the big turnout at the rally - dubbed the People's Uprising Rally - would sway fence-sitters who are likely to vote based on who will be likely to form the next federal government.
The Najib Abdul Razak government, however, appeared to be bending over backwards to ensure that there are no untoward incidents, even if the rally theme itself is brazenly revolutionary.
Not only have the authorities allowed Pakatan to rally at the historic and highly symbolic Stadium Merdeka, the police have stated that its target was for "zero casualties" and have pledged to do without the notorious Federal Reserve Unit (riot police).
Rally organisers are putting the authorities' new attitude to the test, with plans to hold multiple street processions ahead of the three-hour rally, which is scheduled to begin at 2pm.
The weather forecast for today is cloudy with a slight chance of showers.
LIVE REPORTS
9.13am: Brickfields (Jln Tun Sambanthan) - Traffic is smooth as there are no roadblocks. A group of participants in yellow is spotted heading towards the stadium. There are no signages about the gathering at the moment.
9.20am: Masjid Negara - The mosque begins to fill with large groups in yellow and green attire, spilling out across to the railway station. Traffic is smooth and traffic police are assisting. The road in the direction of Dataran Merdeka has been blocked and traffic headed that way has been diverted to Jln Kinabalu.
Traffic in front of Sultan Sulaiman Club is also smooth. A number of supporters in green and yellow are sitting by the pavement, and a stall has been set up selling People
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10:08AM Jan 12, 2013
http://www.malaysiakini.com/
Downtown Kuala Lumpur is expected to be swamped with thousands of Pakatan Rakyat supporters as part of the coalition's final show of force ahead of a crucial general election.
Organisers are hoping that the big turnout at the rally - dubbed the People's Uprising Rally - would sway fence-sitters who are likely to vote based on who will be likely to form the next federal government.
The Najib Abdul Razak government, however, appeared to be bending over backwards to ensure that there are no untoward incidents, even if the rally theme itself is brazenly revolutionary.
Not only have the authorities allowed Pakatan to rally at the historic and highly symbolic Stadium Merdeka, the police have stated that its target was for "zero casualties" and have pledged to do without the notorious Federal Reserve Unit (riot police).
Rally organisers are putting the authorities' new attitude to the test, with plans to hold multiple street processions ahead of the three-hour rally, which is scheduled to begin at 2pm.
The weather forecast for today is cloudy with a slight chance of showers.
LIVE REPORTS
9.13am: Brickfields (Jln Tun Sambanthan) - Traffic is smooth as there are no roadblocks. A group of participants in yellow is spotted heading towards the stadium. There are no signages about the gathering at the moment.
9.20am: Masjid Negara - The mosque begins to fill with large groups in yellow and green attire, spilling out across to the railway station. Traffic is smooth and traffic police are assisting. The road in the direction of Dataran Merdeka has been blocked and traffic headed that way has been diverted to Jln Kinabalu.
Traffic in front of Sultan Sulaiman Club is also smooth. A number of supporters in green and yellow are sitting by the pavement, and a stall has been set up selling People
More...