Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said the police will be taking action against the people involved in the Sarawak Freedom and Independence Walk on July 22.

"The police will not hesitate to take action against the organisers and committee members (of the walk) for the sake of public welfare and the good of the country," he said in a statement today.

However, he admitted that the organisers had duly given notice of the walk to the police beforehand and that everything had been done following procedure.

Khalid ( photo ) explained that the crackdown is due to information they had received about what might be happening at the walk.

"The police have received information that there are individuals who are planning to use this gathering and walk as a platform to incite the people of Sarawak to secede from the federation," he revealed.

This "seditious act" is against the federal constitution, he said, which is why the police will have to intervene in the walk.

Not to hold event for safety reasons

Khalid also advised the organisers of the walk to not hold the event, for safety reasons.

While this is in line with earlier reports that the walk might face opposition from the authorities, a report today said that the walk will go on with the support of the police.

The walk is jointly organised by the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) and Sarawak 4 Sarawakians (S4S), with the event organising chairman Peter John Jaban describing the walk as "a chance for the people of Sarawak to gather in celebration of their great state".

The walk is not a protest, he insisted.

He had even said that there will be police presence at the walk along with 100 Rela personnel on standby in case outsiders tried to cause trouble.