Police warned today that legal action will be taken against anyone attending an unlawful gathering sponsored by Hindraf that is expected to be held at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre tomorrow.

NONE Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said that no permit had been given for the gathering, and anyone attending it would be breaking the law.

Police had rejected an application to hold the gathering on the grounds that it would jeopardise public order.

But there are fears that the organisers who are connected to Hindraf, the banned Hindu Rights Action Force, would go ahead with the gathering.

Ismail said that such a gathering would adversely affect security and disrupt public order especially if it were held at a place like the KLCC where a lot of people converge during weekends.

"To those involved in organising the gathering, I give the reminder not to hold it. It will not only be against the law, but will inconvenience people and traders and cause traffic congestion," he told reporters after a ground breaking ceremony for a surau in Klang.

Earlier, in his speech, Ismail said that incitement and extremist demands could cause rifts among communities and arouse hatred for one another.

He said that there should be early education on the need for tolerance and mutual respect in building a nation.

Police told to take firm action

In Temerloh, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he had directed Ismail to personally monitor the situation and take firm action if Hindraf created trouble.

"He will be responsible for ensuring that the illegal organisation does not jeopardise the (security) situation," he told reporters after nominations for the March 6 Kerdau by-election.

Hishammuddin believed that the organisers were trying to create an atmosphere that was being witnessed in the Middle East, but Malaysia was a different situation altogether, and there were not getting the response they wanted.

"We know their intentions, we know that certain quarters are trying to bring about sentiments of the kind we see in the Middle East, but the situation here is different and it is not heading in that direction," he said.

- Bernama