Inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun has advised participants at the rally against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd) not to create any provocation at the event scheduled this afternoon.

Fuzi said the police were on standby and had made preparations for any possibilities since yesterday.

He added that about 5,000 people have gathered for the event at various locations in the city this morning, and expected the number to increase by noon.

“The police have made the necessary preparations and we hope and pray no untoward incident happens. 

"If the Icerd rally is not over by 6pm, police will continue to monitor the situation until tomorrow morning,” he told a media conference after a mass circumcision event involving 74 children, which was organised by PDRM at the Bukit Aman Mosque in Kuala Lumpur today.

LIVE report: The Anti-Icerd rally in Kuala Lumpur

Also present were deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim and Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd.

Last Thursday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim said six roads in the city would be closed from 6am to give space for the rally participants to gather in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad building in Jalan Raja as well as to avoid traffic congestion.

The affected roads are Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin (before the tunnel), Leboh Pasar, Jalan Tun Perak (starting from the Masjid Jamek LRT station), Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (near Sogo), Jalan Raja Laut (near Summit Hotel) and the Dato’ Onn roundabout (near Bank Negara).

- Bernama