LIVE: Oil price hike protest

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2245: Anwar has addressed the crowd of not more than 10,000 people, about 85-90 per cent Malay, mostly young people. He explained the political circumstances surrounding the sodomy allegations at this time, saying there was great fear among the BN that they could lose power.

Najib came under fire too and Anwar told the crowd they could see the DPM’s office if they had any problems.

He also maintained that he could reduce the price of oil. How exactly he would accomplish this, he didn’t say. Instead, he said he would reveal more details on the 15th. My source at the scene believes that, from the hints he got from Anwar’s address, this could involve plugging leakages of funds. The event has now drawn to a close, thankfully without any major incident. Malaysians have once again asserted their right to freedom of expression and to freedom of assembly.

2200: Charles Santiago in the stadium reports that the crowd has now swelled to 10,000 as Kit Siang address the crowd.

2105: About 7,000 people are in the stadium now as the main speakers start arriving one by one.

2042: The stadium and the field are filling up. People are still arriving. The roads to the stadium are jammed.

1947: Malaysiakini reports that sections of the crowd were unhappy with a couple of the performances by two different rock bands. A member of one of the bands had shown his rear to the crowd; it was unclear if he had boxer shorts on. A mob rained projectiles on them, mostly water bottles. Earlier, about 700 Pas Amal members pulled out in protest at another rock band performance. That could partly explain the traffic jams later.1940: “The whole family is having a good time but the message here is serious. How can we enjoy our lives when the government makes our survival difficult with all these sudden price increases?” Mohamed Helmy Nor, who picnicked with his family on the pitch, to AFP.

“We want prices lowered — we are suffering but the government appears to be doing nothing.” Aminah Rahman, who along with her two young daughters was dressed in a red T-shirts and scarf, to AFP.

1927: As the crowd at Kelana Jaya gears up for ceramah by the big guns later tonight, Berita Harian reports that police will use the Sedition Act against speakers in Kelana Jaya who spread untruths and slander.

Polis akan mengambil tindakan mengikut Akta Hasutan terhadap penganjur dan penceramah yang menyampaikan ucapan berbaur hasutan dan fitnah pada perhimpuanan memprotes harga minyak di Stadium Kelana Jaya, di sini, hari ini.

Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Khaled Abu Bakar, berkata tindakan itu dilakukan dengan mengambil kira kandungan ucapan pemimpin yang terbabit dalam perhimpunan itu.

Khaled berkata, sehingga tengah hari ini, tiada insiden kekacauan dilaporkan tetapi penduduk berhampiran mengadu mereka tidak selesa dengan keadaan itu.

1526: “I won’t be at the stadium due to fuel price hike. Howeve, I share the sentiment of the rakyat on the need to get the message across to the govt about the impact of such a huge increase in the petrol price. My family household expenses increased around 25%. Mana boleh tahan – no more holidays or family outings to the zoo or beach.” Malaccan via comments

1522: “Hi Anil, just came back from the Stadium. I went there in the morning, about 10k ppl in there and ppl are filing in (carnival like atmosphere). Tian Chua and Ronnie Liu gave speeches. No army in sight.

“DSAI, Lim Kit Siang and Nik Aziz will be there tonight. Crowds from East Coast and up North, some down south. The “red army” personnel said there are more coming from the East Coast, up North (they have hired buses). He is from Johor. He said there a few blocks on the way. I went from SS2 so no (road) blocks. But going back to town (after the PJ arch) there is block.

“Planning to go later again. Ppl from KL and Selangor, pls show your support. It is not as bad as the police and mainstream media have reported. The gathering is rather peaceful and well coordinated. Hope we can reach the 1 million figure tonite…See you all there!!!” Adrian Ng via comments

1430: People are going in and out of the stadium and surrounding areas, making it difficult to estimate the number who have come, but about 5,000 people are still in the stadium. The tempo is expected to pick up later this evening once the big names start addressing the rally.

1210: My other source inside the stadium confirms over the phone that the stadium looks more like a 20,000 seater. He says that about 5,000 are already inside the stadium and the programme could be extended to midnight.

1145: My source reports that the stadium is already half full. He said the stadium capacity is actually more like 20,000, so that would mean about 10,000 are already in the stadium. Traffic around the Sungai Way area seems all right but roads are blocked further away from Kelana Jaya.

1135: Charles Santiago, the MP for Klang, tells me over the phone he has received reports that about 2,000-3,000 people are already inside the Kelana Jaya Stadium about half an hour ago. He is heading there tonight for the ceramahs.

1110: Apparently, certain roads/highways leading to Kelana Jaya have been blocked.

1055: “In one way, I am happy with the petrol price hike, because traffic is ligher these days and the usual journey from Ampang to Kelana Jaya takes half the time after the price hike – but people are suffering now,” says another KL resident who plans to go for the protest. “I don’t like Anwar, but I hope there will be a change of government.” But he says he has heard of horrendous traffic jams around Kelana Jaya this morning and there are three-lane roads reduced to a single lane. He is worried it could take him 3-5 hours to reach Kelana Jaya today.

1045: Rocky’s blog has reportedly gone “on strike”. But we welcome back Raja Petra: Malaysia Today is now accessible at this URL: http://202.75.62.194/

1030: A crowd of a few thousand is already inside the 50,000-capacity Kelana Jaya Stadium for this day-long event, culminating with ceramahs tonight. It’s not a huge crowd so far. A light police presence outside. Contrary to speculation, there is no sign of the army on the streets, says my source already in the stadium.