Gerakan Youth fails to hand memo to palace

(Bernama) – Gerakan Youth on Friday failed in its attempt to hand a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong asking for the Internal Security Act (ISA) to be abolished.

About 40 of the Youth members, including its head Lim Si Pin and five lawyers, gathered in front of the palace but could not hand the memorandum as the palace representative declined to accept it.

Lim said the reason given was that they did not follow the procedure and was told by the palace official that the memorandum should come with a letter addressed to the palace.

"We will follow the advice and write a letter to be handed to Istana Negara on Monday," he told reporters.

Plan cancelled on police advice

Asked why he wanted to hand the memorandum today, Lim said the move was made because they had decided to call off the anti-ISA rally planned for tomorrow.

Earlier, the group had gathered in front of Wisma MAA in Jalan Lapangan Terbang Lama at about 2.30pm to march to Istana Negara, but had to cancel their plan half an hour later on police order.

Meanwhile, Brickfields police deputy chief Supt Azri Abd Rahman when contacted by Bernama said there was no trouble during the gathering as the situation was under control.

He said several policemen were also stationed around the palace grounds to control the situation and there was no report of traffic congestion near the palace at the time.