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    July 09, 2011

900 Protesters Arrested in Malaysia

   VOA News
   Malaysian riot police officers fire tear gas at activists from
   Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) during a rally in Kuala
   Lumpur, Malaysia, July 9, 2011
   Photo: AP
   Malaysian riot police officers fire tear gas at activists from
   Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) during a rally in Kuala
   Lumpur, Malaysia, July 9, 2011

   Malaysian police fired tear gas and detained over 900 people in the
   capital Saturday as thousands of activists evaded roadblocks to hold a
   protest against Prime Minister Najib Razak's government.
   The opposition-backed rally in Kuala Lumpur was the culmination of
   weeks of intense pressure on the prime minister's long-ruling coalition
   to meet demands to make election laws fairer and more transparent.
   Leaders of Bersih, a coalition of more than 60 non-governmental groups,
   say the rally will go on as scheduled, despite the government's refusal
   to issue the necessary permit.
   Meanwhile, pro-government supporters are conducting their own
   demonstration in the capital without police intervention.
   Bersih is demanding the government implement electoral reforms ahead of
   the next round of national elections, including measures to prevent
   vote-buying and fraud. The elections are due to be held in 2013, but
   could come earlier.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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