Jamal calls for Malaysiakini's closure

PETALING JAYA: Red Shirts leader Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos has called for Malaysiakini to be closed.

"We are still true to our intentions.

"I said if we had 20,000 gathered here today, then Malaysiakini's building would definitely be brought down but we are law-abiding citizens, so I have limited the number of participants so as not to reach 20,000," he said, urging protesters to march to the entrance of the building.

Jamal arrived at 3.30pm, Saturday to join Red Shirt protesters who had gathered near Malaysiakini's office off Jalan Tandang from about 1pm.

Stopping at the barricade set up by police, Jamal said the Red Shirts would not push through.

He instead demanded for Malaysiakini's top management to come out.

Jamal then told protesters that he had been informed by police that the news portal's management and staff had left the premises.

The crowd fully dispersed at 4.30pm.

The Red Shirts had gathered outside the news portal's office on Thursday, with Jamal demanding an explanation by noon Saturday on reports that the news portal receives funding from the Open Society Foundations (OSF) founded by American hedge fund billionaire George Soros.