PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has insisted that neither he nor party deputy president Azmin Ali had issued the order to breach the barbed-wire cordon around Dataran Merdeka on Saturday.

Nevertheless, Anwar said he would "defend the decision", noting that removing a barricade was not an offence.

NONE "Is that now a major crime, to move into Dataran (Merdeka)? But cheating in the election is not?" he posed at a press conference at the party headquarters today.

"Those who came that day had the impression that we were supposed to assemble at Dataran Merdeka. The only area confined was the grass area and they (felt) they should be there.

"But I appealed to the people to move to the right, but they didn't want to listen. Do I then condemn them for that? The issue is whether I defend or condemn them, I choose to defend them,"

Anwar was responding to a barrage of questions relating to a video clip showing him rolling his hands indicating to Azmin, who was in front of the barricade.

However, Anwar insisted he had been indicating to the crowd to back up along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

"I was really appealing to them. Who am I to give instructions to the people (to move forward)? I can feel their sentiments, they were enraged - they came there with the solemn promise to go Dataran Merdeka," he said.

dataran breach barricade cordon 290412 police pix Anwar lashed out at critics who have accused him and Azmin of egging the crowd on, to breach the barriers.

Once the cordon was broken, the riot police launched tear gas and chemical-laced water at the protestors.

"The Umno lackeys have no proof, so they do this. Even when I was in prison everything that happened was Anwar's doing," he said.

"What was my decision? It was to move to the right. (But) this is what you call the power of enormity, there was enormous support from people who want change and justice.”

Asked to comment on allegations of violence on the part of the police and the supporters, Anwar called for independent investigations.

Authoritarian response

He also likened the chaos on the day to that seen in nations under dictatorial rule.

"Just like in the time of (Adolf) Hitler, Stalin and the dictatorship in Myanmar previously, the ones who protest are criminals, the oppressors are clean of any allegations," he said.

NONE Hitting out at the mainstream media, particularly those linked to BN, he said: "We shall not be intimidated by continuous lies spawned by the state media.

"This is the classic response of authoritarian regimes. Innocent masses, victims of oppression, now deemed as criminals.

"April 28, 2012, shall go down in the nation’s history as Hari Merdeka Rakyat, the people’s independence day. Their message cannot be quashed. A free country cannot be enslaved any more.”

Malaysiakini journalists at various points in the city centre during the rally estimated that 100,000 people took part in the Bersih 3.0 rally.

VIDEO | 43.10 mins

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