Scuffle breaks out at anti-GST rally as group tries to force way into Dataran Merdeka

KUALA LUMPUR: A scuffle broke out between a group Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) members and Unit Amal officers on Jalan Raja, near Panggung Bandaraya as the former group tried to force their way into Dataran Merdeka.

Unit Amal members could be seen trying to hold the line while the crowd pushed forward, throwing water bottles and engaging in a brawl with members of Jingga 13, who tried to calm them down.

SAMM member Romi Erawan, 24, said he and his group were unhappy that Unit Amal members were blocking the youth NGO members from accessing Dataran Merdeka.

When asked why they wanted to access the field when both organisers and police had agreed that Dataran Merdeka was off-limits, the youth simply said, "there is no pact between lions and men".

"We want to access the field. We are here to fight, not fight physically but to fight the Government, but Unit Amal is blocking us," Romi mouthed off.

Unit Amal officers quickly brought the situation under control.

SAMM coordinator Badrul Hisham Shaharin, popularly known as Chegubard, apologised on behalf of those involved in the scuffle and said he would look into the matter.

"If there really were SAMM people causing harm, I apologise," he said.

He said those wearing SAMM T-shirts were not necessarily from the group as the garments could be bought anywhere.

However, Chegubard acknowledged that a group of people dressed in SAMM T-shirts entered Jalan Raja at around 4pm amidst a cloud of orange smoke.