US airs concerns on crackdown

The US says it will continue to monitor the situation closely.

WASHINGTON: The United States yesterday voiced concern about Malaysia’s weekend crackdown on an opposition-backed rally and said it would keep an eye on developments.

Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon to end Saturday’s electoral reform rally and arrested more than 1,600 people.

One man died during the rally. His family said he collapsed after fleeing tear gas, while police said he was a bystander who died of a heart attack.

UN condemns Najib administration for "excessive" crackdown on Bersih

The United Nations has condemned Prime Minister Najib Razak's crackdown on the Bersih 2.0 rally  as "excessive", also expressing diappointment and "alarm" at the targeting of individuals in the run-up to the July 9 citizens march for free and fair elections.

"We are very concerned by the recent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators by the government in Malaysia," AFP reported Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as saying.