A youth group has decried what it described as intimidation after authorities allegedly disrupted their book reading and discussion event at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night.

The National Youth Federation (NYF) said nearly a dozen police officers and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) personnel had approached them, demanding they get police permission to hold such activities in public.

"An officer from the Dang Wangi police Criminal Investigation Department asked if we had...