DBKL confiscates tent of protesters camped outside Parliament

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has confiscated a tent belonging to protesters who are protesting against the high fuel prices outside Parliament.

Amanah Youth deputy chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin told Malaysiakini that it was the only tent pitched by the group since 11am.

In a video recording sent by Shazni, protesters can be heard asking that the tent remain pitched until after the rain stops.

But the DBKL officers continued to pack away the tent.

Despite the heavy rain, Shazni said the group will continue with its protest.

"We will continue to be here even without a tent. We don't want to quarrel with the authorities or any civil servant.

"We only want one thing, that the RM1 billion fuel subsidy be returned and the price of fuel to decrease," he said.

Dang Wangi district police chief Shaharudin Abdullah said police had advised the group to disperse although the group plans to continue its demonstration until 6pm tomorrow.

"But we will continue to monitor them," he said, admitting that the group does not affect traffic flow.

The protest got off to a rough start in the wee hours today. Just 15 minutes into their protest, which officially began at 1am, the group of 20 protesters took down the four tents they had pitched at the junction leading to the Parliament gates, after a friendly exchange with police and DBKL officers.

Things became slightly tense 20 minutes later when the protesters declined to stow away their dismantled tents after being told to do so by a DBKL officer.

Last Thursday, fuel prices reached a record high since the new weekly managed-float system was introduced in March.

RON95 went up by seven sen to RM2.38 per litre, while RON97 rose six sen to RM2.66 per litre. Meanwhile, diesel was up five sen to RM2.25 per litre.

-Mkini