The police have been commended by Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunus for taking down the billboards campaigning for the release of jailed PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim in Ampang.

"Thank you, PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police Force) for realising the billboards were in Selangor and for removing them.

"So well done and congratulations to PDRM as they are 'berani kerana benar' (bold because they're true)," Jamal told reporters outside the Ampang Jaya police district headquarters today.

He had been called there for questioning by the police, he said, though he claimed that he did not know why.

Regardless, he said, he and his lawyers will fight against any charges, after which they will continue their plan of suing the local council for allowing the billboards to be put up in the first place.

Heavy police presence

About 200 people dressed in red turned up to show their support for Jamal, holding placards and banners supporting Jamal's actions and condemning Anwar as a criminal.

They gathered outside a supermarket across the police station and later marched to the front of the station, chanting 'Hidup Umno' (Long live Umno).

Jamal insisted that Anwar is not a political prisoner as described by the opposition party PKR, but a criminal.

"Even a leader who is a criminal, they (PKR) want to glorify," he said.

Yesterday, the police took down several of the 'Free Anwar' billboards around Ampang.

This comes after Jamal threatened to torch the billboards, which are approved by the local council, if they are not taken down.

Heavy police presence last week forced Jamal to shelve his plan to torch the billboard near Ampang Point.

Police stopped him from damaging the billboards but inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said the billboards must come down as they are "seditious".

Jamal also hung a banner over the billboards, stating that Anwar is a “convicted sodomist” and this meant he “inserted his penis into another man’s anus by force”.