IGP Khalid Abu Bakar has urged Kita Lawan to get Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to sign off on a location for their anti-Goods and Services Tax (GST) protest on May 1 .

“I hope the location they choose is approved by DBKL. If they get the approval, police will cooperate fully and ensure the rally is conducted safely and smoothly

“If it is the other way around, the organisers must be prepared to face the law,” he said.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference at Bukit Aman today, Khalid said he has also instructed Dang Wangi police chief Zainol Samah to hold negotiations with the Kita Lawan organisers.

Previous negotiations for Kita Lawan's first major rally on March 7 ( pix above ) broke down , after the organisers refused to hold their protest at a number of proposed locations, including Stadium Merdeka.

The protest demonstration was subsequently declared as “against the law” due to the organisers not submitting a written notification to the police.

Over a dozen of the protest leaders were then arrested in the immediate weeks following the protest, some under a sedition charge.

Fluctuating turnout

Khalid said Kita Lawan should emulate PAS which held an anti-GST rally at  Padang Merbok in Kuala Lumpur on April 11 which went off without a hitch.

“It's very easy. What happened during the last rally in Padang Merbok is a good example which should be emulated by all,” he said.

On May 1, Kita Lawan plans to hold a massive demonstration in downtown KL to protest the GST.

The rallies were originally planned to oppose opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's jailing and was then expanded to call for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to step down.

They had managed to attract 10,000 demonstrators on March 7 but subsequent protests by Kita Lawan have had miserable turnouts with only 500   ( pix, above ) joining them to “celebrate” the wedding of Najib's daughter on March 28 at KLCC.