Armed with an order from a Magistrate's court barring a gathering at the downtown Independence square, Malaysian police moved to prevent the planned sit-in by Bersih 3.0, a group of lawyers, activists and NGOs, who are seeking electoral reform.
However, the group of activists that surprised many by commanding a protest rally of thousands in a similar protest last year, remained adamant and refused to accept an alternate venue.
Malaysia's City Hall authorities and representatives of Bersih 3.0 today held a meeting of almost an hour to resolve the stand-off but failed to agree on the venue for protest.
The city mayor, Ahmad Fuad Ismail, said Bersih refused to compromise on the venue.
"Their excuse that we were too late to inform them of the alternative venue is inexcusable. So, I told them if time was too short it was because they had sent in their application letter late," he told a press conference.
Bersih 2.0 chairman, well known lawyer S Ambiga, an ethnic Indian, said the time given to the organisers was too short.
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"So we can't change the venue at the last minute. If we do that, it would cause confusion," she said.
Meanwhile, a Magistrate's court issued an order today preventing the rally organisers and members of the public from gathering at the Independence square, where the activists want to hold a sit-in tomorrow.
Police obtained the order from the court to maintain peace and public order, said City police chief Deputy Comm Mohmad Salleh.
The court order bars organisers and members of the public from gathering at the square from midnight Friday until May 1, he said at a press conference.
"Anyone caught defying the court order will be arrested and charged under Section 188 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum fine of RM 2,000 (about RS 35,000) or six months jail or both on conviction," he told reporters.
The roads ringing the square have been made off limits for the protesters.
"No roads leading to the square will be totally closed on Saturday, unless the situation warrants it," he said.