The planned ‘one million people' gathering to protest against the sharp fuel hike has been brought forward from its original date of July 12 to July 5.

geramm pc petrol price hike group 120608 02 According to PKR deputy youth chief Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainudin, a meeting of the anti-fuel hike coalition Protes this afternoon decided upon the date "for tactical reasons", but declined to comment further.

"Protes will issue a statement later explaining the reason behind the choice of date," he said when contacted.

To a question, Khairul said the date earlier proposed was only tentative and had not been confirmed.

Earlier today, a coalition of non-governmental organisations and Pakatan Rakyat youth groups announced it will seek to collect one million signatures in roadshows beginning tomorrow to petition the government to reduce the oil price.

Last week the government announced a massive fuel hike - petrol prices were increased by 41 percent and diesel 63 percent - in response to surges in global oil prices.

anti petrol price hike protest 120608 A big protest against the fuel hike, targeting about 10,000 people, is being planned in Kuala Lumpur for tomorrow after Friday prayers. Several other smaller protests have already taken place nationwide after the fuel hike announcement.

The protest organisers plan to march from the Kampung Baru mosque KLCC, some three kilometres away, and are expecting a crowd of about 10,000 people.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman, however, was reported today to have said that between 1,500 to 2,000 police, volunteer security corps Rela and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel will be deployed to stop the demonstration.

Muhammad Sabtu said the security forces will be directed to stop the procession from Kampung Baru to KLCC.

"We will close several roads leading to the (mosque) area if necessary," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .