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Focus Malaysia
4 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Rally organisers regret police intervention at Dataran Merdeka
CONFUSION arose at Dataran Merdeka when members of the police force intervened after rally organisers set up their stage at the Dataran. Police said the organisers had no permission to set up a stage at Dataran Merdeka, with acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad saying the organisers did not apply for any permit to set up a temporary stage at Dataran. The stage has since been removed by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. He said there were safety concerns over the stage's structure, adding that there was no indication as to how many people would be on the stage at any one time. 'The earlier agreement between the police and the organisers was that two Toyota Hiluxes would be used as a 'stage,'' he said in a brief statement to the media. Nevertheless, according to reports, Takiyuddin expressed disappointment with the authorities for asking organisers to reopen the stage at Dataran Merdeka. 'The police should be facilitating the organisers, not making things more difficult,' he said. Meanwhile, former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader Tian Chua was announced at the Turun Anwar rally as a participant, while former Bersih leader Mandeep Singh has extended his support to participants of today's rally. Mandeep encouraged participants to celebrate democracy peacefully and responsibly. In a Facebook post, he urged attendees to state their demands with facts, avoid emotional arguments, keep the area clean, support local traders near Dataran Merdeka, and prioritise safety. 'The right to assemble is the right of every citizen,' he emphasised. Mandeep also shared practical tips for rally-goers based on past Bersih experiences and posted a photo from the 2015 Bersih 4 rally, recalling the massive turnout against the former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak administration. The rally attendees are also informed that former PKR politician Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, will also be appearing at the checkpoint before marching to Dataran Merdeka at 2pm. Meanwhile, over a thousand rally participants gathered outside the Sogo shopping mall, where PAS leader Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan addressed members of PAS' Unit Amal. The crowd chanted 'Pudin' in reference to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail while waving at passing police vehicles. However, traffic along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman came to a halt after large crowds from the opposition rally occupied the traffic junction in front of the Sogo shopping complex around 12.30pm. Although the road had not been initially closed, police later blocked it using their motorcycles due to the overwhelming presence of demonstrators. Vehicles from Chow Kit had to be redirected via Jalan Dang Wangi and the route between Sogo and Kompleks Pertama. Traffic police, supported by the Royal Malaysia Police Mounted Unit, were on-site to manage the situation. Protesters also gathered at other locations, including Pasar Seni, Masjid Negara, Masjid Jamek, and Kampung Baru, before heading to the main venue at Dataran Merdeka. Crowds filled areas around Kompleks Pertama, Kompleks Campbell, and the old Odeon cinema. At Pasar Seni, Bersatu Armada exco Na'im Brundage delivered a speech under police monitoring, with the situation reported to be calm and under control. — July 26, 2025 Main photo credit: Malay Mail
The Citizen
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Nampo 2025 kicks off: Traffic backed up for kilometres on first day
Nampo 2025 kicks off: Traffic backed up for kilometres on first day Traffic was backed up as far as the eye could see as visitors waited to enter Nampo Park for the 2025 version of the harvest day show, which is happening for the next four days. Farmer's Weekly reports thousands of visitors are expected to visit the 40-hectare showground from now until Friday. 'Nampo is not going anywhere' The traffic on the R30 through Bothaville to Nampo Park can easily be compared to peak-hour traffic on the N1 to Johannesburg during a weekday. However, motorists are generally more relaxed in this agricultural area of the Free State than their city counterparts, even though the temperature dropped to 4°C early this morning, and Toyota Hiluxes, Fortuners and buses drove bumper-to-bumper. It took the Farmer's Weekly team around an hour to travel the 17kms from our accommodation. 'The traffic is not worse than last year, or the year before that,' said Bennie Zaayman, manager of Nampo Park. 'There is, unfortunately, only one road going through Bothaville. That's something we cannot change.' 'Be patient. Be relaxed. Nampo is not going anywhere,' Zaayman added. Organisers geared to accommodate thousands of visitors Nampo kicked off today, and organisers expect more than 86 000 visitors over the week. Accommodation is limited, with many visitors staying as far as Klerksdorp and Kroonstad. 'It's usually an early start for visitors. I recommend leaving around 06:00. The peak traffic times are between 07:00 and 10:00. I suggest not arriving after that. There are over 800 exhibitors, and it's worth taking your time to visit each one,' said Zaayman. There is ample parking on the grounds. Zaayman said 25 000 vehicles used the parking facilities last year. 'We can accommodate up to 30 000 vehicles per day.' Growth of around 26% Grain SA's Nampo Harvest Day has grown from humble beginnings in 1967 to the largest agricultural trade exhibition in the southern hemisphere. Statistics recently released by Grain SA show that, over the past 25 years (excluding 2020 and 2021), visitor numbers have increased by around 26% — from 68 900 in 2010 to 86 407 last year. Visitors can also expect to see breed examples including cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Here are the stats: The exhibitor area spans over 40 hectares, with almost 5 hectares under roof. The power supply at Nampo Park is serviced by 7km of voltage cable and 15 transformers. Nine boreholes and a main water line spanning 4.2km supply water to the showgrounds. 450 000 litres of water are consumed daily. The sewerage network is 4.65km long. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
