Two Johor assemblypersons are among four arrested at a rally in Johor Bahru today, according to the Kita Lawan secretariat.

The two are Bukit Batu assemblyperson Jimmy Puah and Mengkibol assemblyperson Tan Hong Pin.

Also arrested is Puah’s aide Danny Tan and Sidiqin Omar, an activist with Kuala Lumpur-based Kelab Bangsar Utama.

The secretariat said the four have been brought to the Sentral police station in Johor Bahru.

The rally in Johor Bahru which kicked off at 4pm today is part of a nation-wide Kita Lawan tour to promote the May 1 anti-GST rally in Kuala Lumpur.

Originally organised to pressure for the release of jailed PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, the Kita Lawan coalition has since taken on a host of issues, including the goods and services tax (GST).

PKR Youth strategy director Akmal Nasir told Malaysiakini that the four were detained under section 9 of the Peaceful Assembly Act.

Section 9 requires protesters to give the authorities 10-day notice before holding a protest.

Four nabbed after protest

Recounting the events leading up to the arrests, Akmal said up to 500 protesters had gathered outside the City Square mall in Johor Bahru, from 4pm to 4.30pm before police told them to leave.

The demonstrators then marched on the sidewalk along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, but dispersed at about 5.45pm after negotiations with the police.

Akmal claimed the protesters did not obstruct the traffic and were peaceful.

"Later we got a call from Sidiqin that he was surrounded by police at a hotel, so Puah went to help him. It was then that Puah was arrested, along with Danny (Tan).

"Around the same time we were informed that Hong Pin was arrested at another location, followed by the arrest of Sidiqin," said Akmal.

He believed police were also looking to detain him, but added he was on his way to an event in Batu Pahat.

However he stressed he would cooperate fully with the police should he be called in for questioning.