(17 Apr 1999) Natural Sound

About 1-thousand demonstrators marched toward Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown district on Saturday chanting anti-government slogans after eluding nearby armed police officers and army reserve units.

"Down with Mahathir, long live Anwar!" they cried, punching their fists in the air in support of their jailed leader, Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar was sacked as deputy last September by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and subsequently tried and convicted on fraud charges.

Protests have continued in the Malaysian capital for the fourth day since a judge handed down a harsh, six-year sentence that virtually bars Anwar from active politics for at least a decade.

Anwar, 51, the former Malaysian number two, was convicted on Wednesday of four counts of corruption and sentenced to six years in prison.

The verdict sparked off anti-government riots, international outrage and objections from Malaysia's legal fraternity.

Passing motorcyclists and drivers sounded their horns in support of the protesters, who initially gathered in narrow streets behind the red-bricked courthouse where the judge delivered the verdict.

The crowd consisted of mostly young men, a number of them with handkerchiefs and T-shirts tied around their faces to prevent being recognised.

They jeered at several truckloads of riot police carrying shields and clubs who later arrived at the capital's shopping district.

A water-cannon truck opened fire at the demonstrators, drenching pedestrians and motorcyclists.

Hours earlier, police had attempted to prevent demonstrations from breaking out near the courthouse.

They made onlookers leave the area, and even entered a nearby mosque to order teenagers who gathered within to get out.

As the teenagers were leaving the mosque, police checked their I-D.

For the past three days, helmeted riot police repeatedly broke up demonstrations across the capital.

Shouting "reformasi, reformasi," the Malay word for "reform" and Anwar's rallying cry, protesters have burned flags of the governing coalition and hurled rocks at police officers.

More demonstrations are scheduled for later Friday in Kampong Baru district, the site of violent protests after Anwar was sacked and arrested last September.

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