Another 100,000 People's Gathering will be organised by Keadilan next month in Selangor to assert the people's right to assemble peacefully, the organiser stated today.

Organising committee chairman Saari Sungib said that the gathering is also to forge closer ties among supporters of the reformasi movement and to celebrate Barisan Alternatif's victory in the recent Lunas by-election.

The gathering will also see Muslims, Christians and the Chinese celebrate their respective festivals together, namely Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Christmas and the Chinese New Year.

"This is in line with the aspirations and agenda of BA and the reformasi movement," said Saari.

"The rally is also a step to better cooperation between peoples of various races and religions as the year 2001 has been marked by the United Nations as the World Inter-religious Dialogue Year," he added.

Saari said the rally, scheduled to be held on Jan 20 next year, will be at Kampung Medan, Telok Panglima Garang, 4km off the Klang-Banting exit.

The people will gather on land belonging to a 76-year-old loyal female symphatiser of the reformasi movement who was disappointed that the Nov 5 rally did not take place, Saari added.

Fund for detainees

PAS president Fadzil Noor, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang and PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali are expected to be at the rally.

On Nov 5, Keadilan organsised its first rally at Jalan Kg Kebun, Klang. However, supporters were unable to make it to the site when police cordoned off all exits leading to Kg Kebun, creating a massive jam on the Kesas Highway.

Leaders from the BA met about 10,000 supporters on the highway and delivered political speeches before FRU police dispersed the crowd with tear gas and chemical-laced water.

One hundred and twenty-five people who were detained at the Klang police lock-up alleged there were acts of police brutality at the impromptu gathering on the highway and in the police lock-up where they were arrested. The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has started an inquiry into the matter.

For the forthcoming rally, Saari stated that the organisers have printed 500,000 posters for distribution.

"We are going to inform all police stations in the vicinity and invite their families to join the celebration as well," he added.

Saari said the organisers will inform the media and Suhakam about the event and invite observers to be present.

The "One Person One Dollar" fund ( Tabung Satu Ringgit Seorang Rakyat ) will be launched to collect donations to provide financial assistance for reformasi detainees.