Singapore warns citizens to avoid Kuala Lumpur, where security concerns prompt postponement of rally
- A pro-human rights rally has been moved to avoid a clash with a celebration of Malaysia’s decision not to sign a UN anti-discrimination convention
- The Lion City has issued a rare travel advisory for the capital of its northern neighbour, with which it is embroiled in disputes over air and sea boundaries
Malaysian officials breathed a sigh of relief on Friday after the organisers behind one of two opposing rallies slated for this weekend postponed their event, allaying fears about potential clashes among rival participants.
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), citing advice from the police, said it would move an event planned for Saturday to Sunday, to avoid a clash with a rally organised by the opposition coalition linked to the deposed former prime minister Najib Razak.
The development followed a rare move by neighbouring Singapore, embroiled with its northern neighbour in disputes over air and sea boundaries, to issue a travel advisory for citizens.
The country’s foreign ministry cited security concerns over the two rallies, which were to be held just 10km apart.
The Suhakam event, a commemoration of human rights that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was slated to attend, was only expected to garner a crowd of about 3,000 people and was meant to be a family-friendly event.
In contrast, the opposition event – organised to celebrate the government’s climbdown on ratifying an international convention on eliminating racial discrimination – had caused temperatures to soar because of its sectarian undertone.
Organisers – including key opposition leaders from the race-based United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and its hardline Islamist partner PAS – had portrayed the event as a show of force against what they claimed was an erosion of rights for the country’s Malay majority.