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Malaysia Muslims Rally to Keep Privileges

by Associated Press

   KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA --

   Tens of thousands of Malaysian Muslims rallied Saturday in Kuala Lumpur
   against any attempt to strip the ethnic Malay majority of its
   privileges, in the first massive street gathering since Prime Minister
   Mahathir Mohamad's alliance won a historic vote in May.

   The rally, backed by the country's two largest opposition Malay
   parties, was initially aimed at protesting a government plan to ratify
   a U.N. treaty against racial discrimination. Critics allege that
   ratifying the treaty would end Malay privileges under a decades-old
   affirmative action policy. The plan to ratify was eventually abandoned,
   but organizers decided to proceed with what they called a
   "thanksgiving" rally.

   Rare racial clashes

   Racial clashes have been rare in multiracial Malaysia since deadly
   riots in 1969. A year later, Malaysia instituted a preferential program
   that gives Malays privileges in jobs, education, contracts and housing
   to help narrow a wealth gap with the minority Chinese. Ethnic Malays
   account for nearly two-thirds of the country's 32 million people, with
   large Chinese and Indian minorities.

   Saturday's rally came less than two weeks after more than 80 people
   were arrested in a riot at an Indian temple in a suburb outside Kuala
   Lumpur. The government was quick to stress that the violence was the
   result of a land dispute and was not a racial riot. Still, the
   government warned Saturday's rally-goers not to make any provocative
   statements that could fan racial tensions.

   Mahathir said the government allowed the rally as part of democracy,
   but warned against any chaos. The rally was held under tight police
   security, but ended peacefully after rain started to fall.

   Former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has been charged with multiple
   counts of corruption, was among opposition lawmakers at the rally.

   In the streets, 55,000

   Police said there were at least 55,000 people on the streets. Many wore
   white T-shirts and headbands with the words "Reject ICERD," referring
   to the U.N. treaty, the International Convention on the Elimination of
   All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

   The protesters gathered at three locations before marching to a nearby
   historic square, chanting "Long live the Malays" and "Crush ICERD."

   "Yes, we did not ratify ICERD, but we are still here to say that we are
   still against it," said shopkeeper Rosli Ikhsan. "Even if the
   government has said they won't endorse it, we are still protesting with
   all our might from all of Malaysia."

   Mahathir's new government won a stunning victory in a May 9 general
   election amid anger over a massive corruption scandal involving Najib
   and his government, but many Malays still support Najib's party, the
   United Malays National Organization, and the Malaysian Islamic Party,
   which controls two of the country's 13 states.

   Some analysts say Najib and his party were using the rally to shift
   attention away from corruption charges against Najib, his wife, his
   party's president and former government officials.

   "For me, ICERD is bad," university student Nurul Qamariah said at the
   rally. "It's bad because it will erode the position of Malays. This is
   a country for Malays. We want Malays to be superiors, but why do these
   people want to make Malays the same level as Chinese and Indians?"