Some 5,000 people were stopped from marching to the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur today during a demonstration organised by the Stop the War Coalition comprising mainly of opposition parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

At least two water cannon trucks and several Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) trucks were stationed in the middle of the road, about 200m from the embassy.

Barriers were put up and guarded by over 100 police personnel along Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, to stop the crowd which had marched towards the embassy after performing the Friday prayers at the Tabung Haji mosque at about 2pm.

A police helicopter also hovered over the area to monitor the situation.

Appointment with ambassador

The anti-war demonstration, led by Opposition Leader and PAS acting president Abdul Hadi Awang, was the third organised by the members of the opposition since the superpower announced plans to attack Iraq.

The first was held last November outside the British High Commission, and the second outside the US embassy during the global anti-war protest o­n Feb 15.

FRU personnel had initially tried to stop the crowd from leaving the mosque premises this afternoon but organisers told the police that they had made an appointment with US Ambassador Marie Huhtala to submit a memorandum to her.

Following this, o­nly eight opposition and NGO leaders were allowed to go to the embassy while the rest were stopped in the middle of the road.

Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PAS secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa, PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali, DAP publicity chief Ronnie Liu and Suaram executive director Cynthia Gabriel were in the group that accompanied Abdul Hadi to meet Huhtala.

Anti-war speeches

Meanwhile, the remaining opposition leaders took turns to deliver anti-war speeches while waiting for the delegation to return.

Keadilan Wanita chief Fuziah Salleh and PAS central committee member Dr Lo' Lo' Ghazali were among the women leaders who sent messages to US President George W Bush that the war would victimise women and children.

NGO leaders who represented the Indian and Chinese communities addressed the crowd in their respective mother tongues.

In his speech, Kuala Kedah MP Mohamad Sabu called o­n the police be cooperative since anti-war demonstrations are being held all over the world in the name of peace.

"We are not protesting against the Malaysian government, but against the evil plan of the Bush administration to attack Iraq," he said.

American flag burnt

Later, Abdul Hadi delivered a short speech and told the protestors that the anti-war message from peace-loving Malaysians had been delivered to the US Ambassador.

"We also had a good debate with her, insisting that there is no reason for the superpower to attack Iraq (when there is) lack of evidence that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction," he said before releasing several pigeons as symbol of peace.

Several of the protesters also burnt an American flag before dispersing peacefully at the end of the 90-minute demonstration.

On Feb 23, Umno Youth organised an anti-war campaign at the Bukit Jalil stadium in Kuala Lumpur which was attended by more than 200,000 people.

However, the opposition has strongly criticised the event having been carried out in a "festive atmosphere" with the present of top and local foreign artistes to pull in the crowd.

pics by Yusof Ghani/malaysiakini