More than 1,000 opposition supporters marched through Malaysia's largest city Friday in the biggest public show of anger over the government's decision to dramatically raise fuel prices.
Riot police fanned out in downtown Kuala Lumpur, setting up roadblocks and foiling the demonstrators' plan to walk from a popular mosque to the nearby Petronas Twin Towers, the headquarters of national oil company Petronas.
The protesters chanted "Down with the National Front," referring to the governing coalition, and called for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign. They later changed their route and marched to a shopping complex instead.
It was the biggest in a series of protests that have plagued Abdullah's administration since the retail price of gasoline shot up June 5 by 41 percent to 2.70 ringgit (US$0.87) a liter, or 10.23 ringgit (US$3.30) a gallon.
"People are pushed to a corner," technician Azamuddin Hamzah said as a police helicopter hovered in the sky.
"How are we going to survive? The government asks us to change our lifestyle, but they are so wasteful," he said.
Many motorists caught in a traffic snarl honked their horns in support as the protesters walked past. The crowd dispersed peacefully after 90 minutes.
Police had warned they would take action against the protest _ deemed illegal because organizers did not seek a permit, required for all gatherings of more than four people _ but did not make arrests.
Like several other Asian nations, Malaysia says fuel subsidies are no longer tenable because of soaring world oil prices. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Abdullah has pledged that gasoline prices will not be raised further this year.
But critics say Malaysia, an oil producer, benefits from rising world oil prices and should use Petronas profits to fund fuel subsidies.
Opposition parties and public rights groups plan to hold more protests nationwide in the next few weeks, culminating in what they say will be a rally by 1 million people in Kuala Lumpur on July 5.
The opposition has voiced hopes that public fury over the fuel price hike and inflation will ultimately topple Abdullah, who has struggled to stay in power after his National Front coalition suffered its worst-ever electoral results in March national polls.
Abdullah said Friday he has reached a decision to hand over power to his deputy, Najib Razak, at the right time, but didn't saw when it would be.
