Despite the numerous protests being held outside the Petronas headquarters in Kuala Lumpur since March, Malaysians plying their trade in the area have almost nothing to say about the incidents.

Some claim they didn't know about the anti-fuel and electricity hike protests, while others outrightly said they were ordered to keep mum about it.

Firstly, malaysiakini approached several frontline staff within the vicinity and was met with some interesting answers.

Suria KLCC customer service staff, who wished to only be known as Shima, said she was aware of the protest on Sunday which was a non-working day for her.

She was quick to add that whatever happens outside of the building was "beyond her control" and that she was only in charge of matters inside the mall.

A customer service staff manning the Petronas Twin Towers said that the reception area was closed every Sunday.

A receptionist, Sharmini, at the adjacent Menara Maxis said that the KLCC entrance of the building was cordoned off every time there was a protest in order to stop shoppers from exiting the building.

Fashionable, but clueless

Similarly, those working on the ground floor Suria KLCC, a shopping complex located closest to the protest venue, were just as apprehensive when approached by malaysiakini.

Two fashion outlets both claim they were too busy to entertain our questions and requested that we leave.

Several staff at another fashion outlet said that they were too busy with the Sunday crowd to notice what was going on outside.

Meanwhile, a staff at yet another fashion outlet said that the entrance to the shopping complex was sealed up that Sunday but declined to elaborate.

Following this, we spoke to four security guards and were surprised to find that some of them have been instructed to remain silent on the matter.

Letter of permission

Zerry, a security officer guarding traffic outside the Petronas Twin Towers said he was on duty on Sunday morning and that he did whatever his supervisor told him to that day.

Pressed for details, Zerry said that it was a "secret".

Senior security guard Muhd Ali became agitated when quizzed on the Sunday protest and directed us to talk to the management for more information.

Another security guard, Sukor, cautioned that a letter of permission from the management was needed for him to reveal any details.

Aznizam, who was off-duty that Sunday, was aware of water cannons being fired on protesters but oblivious of protesters getting hurt or arrested.

Sunday's protest , the fourth of its kind, was met with a bloody end when police used force to disperse the 500 strong crowd with water cannons and baton wielding riot police.

Twenty protesters including prominent opposition figures and one member of Parliament was arrested while at least two protesters needed medical attention after suffering beatings by riot police.