Police abruptly stopped a Pakatan Rakyat rally in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur tonight that was to commemorate the second anniversary of the March 8, 2008 general election.

pakatan anniversary forum outside crowd Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Gombak MP Mohd Azmin Ali had just given their speeches in front of a crowd of 2,000 when a team of police officers from the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters arrived at about 9.45pm.

The police subsequently ordered the organisers of 'Majlis Ulang Tahun Pakatan Rakyat' (Celebration of the Second Anniversary of Pakatan Rakyat's Victory) at open ground in front of the Sultan Sulaiman Club to stop the event.

At least four more speakers were scheduled to speak, including DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

pakatan anniversary forum 070310 fru 02 The crowd "booed" and heckled the police officers, and refused to allow them to reach the stage.

Consequently, a group of about 20 Federal Reserve Unit personnel arrived, and proceeded to the make-shift stage by force.

They soon took over the platform, while other police personnel - uniformed and plainclothed - pushed Pakatan leaders into the clubhouse building.

pakatan anniversary forum 070310 crowd 02 The whole time, the air reverberated with shouts of " reformasi !"

At least three people are said to have been injured by police, who had hit them with their batons.

Two FRU trucks fitted with water cannons were seen at about 10.15pm and parked nearby. However, they were not used.

Crowd told to move indoor

PKR's Batu MP Tian Chua told the crowd that the police deemed the gathering to be illegal as it was held on the open field and thus "disturbing the peace".

pakatan anniversary forum 070310 fru 03 As a solution, the people were invited to go into the clubhouse to continue hearing the ceramah speakers, said Chua. 

PAS leader Mahfuz Omar, Lim Lip Eng of DAP, and Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim were slated to address the crowd.

At about 10.30pm, some police personnel were seen to be leaving the premises.

pakatan anniversary forum kelab sulaiman function room Many, however, remained to ensure that nobody gathered on the field.

Most of the crowd had crammed into the Sultan Sulaiman clubhouse to hear the rest of the speeches.

At about midnight, it emerged that one Roslan Mat, a member of PKR's Lembah Pantai division and the head of its security, had been arrested.

'Lan' as he is known among friends, was one of the three injured in the scuffle with police.

He was said to have been subsequently arrested for obstructing the police officers in the course of performing their duties.

Bernama reported, meanwhile, Dang Wangi acting police chief ACP Abdul Aziz Zakaria as having said that police did not make any arrests in the incident but were monitoring the situation from outside the hall.

Second police disruption in two days

As for the other two persons injured, Shawal Salim, an advisor to Selangor MB, and PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar took them to a nearby hospital for a check-up.

pakatan anniversary forum anwar speech Lan, who was sent to the Dang Wangi district police station, is expected to be released later tonight after his statement had been taken and the charge against him finalised.

He incurred a sprained ankle and a torn shirt from the altercation with the police. A report is expected to be lodged tomorrow against the police for their conduct this evening.

This is the second police disruption of Pakatan ceramah in just as many days.

Last night, an opposition ceramah in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, was unceremoniously halted by cops.

A team of police led by Sentul OCPD Zakaria Pagan swooped in at 10pm and told the crowd of 1,500 that the Pakatan dinner should not include political speeches.

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Photo credit: Chan Chee Kong