Chaos also erupted when the police fired tear gas on the pro-Selangor state government's “red shirt” supporters as they attempted to march to Istana Negara to submit a memorandum to Yang-Dipertuan Agong Tunku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
Earlier, Batu Caves assemblyperson Amiruddin Shari told FMT that the three PSM leaders were arrested at different locations.
“I was told that they were detained even before they could reach Masjid Negara (where the red-shirts had gathered before the march),” he said.
Groups of red-shirts - numbering about 2,000 - also gathered outside the Central Market and the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
Many of them were stopped by the police from heading towards the National Mosque before they could walk towards the palace, located about four kilometres away.
The police brought in reinforcement to disperse the crowd, including by spraying water and making arrests. A small number of people were hurt, including elected reps and women in a melee which ensued.
About 30 people, including Selangor MB's special officer Nooramin Ahmad, were arrested for failing to disperse in front of the mosque. They have been taken to the Dang Wangi police station.
Meanwhile, a group of Pakatan elected representatives held discussions with Kuala Lumpur's deputy police chief Amar Singh to seek the release of those arrested.
Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad then told the crowd that those arrested would be released if the protesters agreed to disperse.
Memo submitted, police force lambasted
Dzulkefly also said that he would be raising the strong police tactics in Parliament next week.
“It is unfortunate that the police had used so much of force against the people. We were always ready to cooperate with them,” he said.
Malaysian Human Rights (Suhakam) commissioner Muhamad Shaani Abdullah also expressed his disappointment with the manner the police acted against the people.
"They are so unprofessional in dealing with the crowd. They scold and insult the people. There is no reason for them to behave in such a manner even if this gathering is illegal,” he said.
While the drama was unfolding at the National Mosque and its vicinity, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim managed to submit a memorandum to the palace at about 2.30pm by driving straight to Istana Negara.
The memorandum calls for the King to interfere in the ongoing dispute between the state government and water management company Syabas.
Gaps submits memo
Meanwhile, some 300 supporters of the anti-Selangor government movement gathered at Stadium Merdeka but did not march to Istana Negara as planned.
However, a delegation later went to the palace by car and submitted the memorandum to a palace representative.
Supporters of the Anti-Penyelewengan Selangor (Gaps) movement started gathering about 11am.
Most of them were dressed in black t-shirts and yellow "Gaps" headbands, which were handed out for free by the organisers at the stadium car park area.
Amid heavy police presence, the demonstrators unfurled banners which criticised the Pakatan-led government and among others, shouted “Hidup Melayu” and “Tangkap Anwar”.
"We are here to protect the Malays. We are sending a memorandum to the king to highlight 30 mismanagement and corruption by the state government," said Gaps leader Hamidzun Khairuddin.
On the failure to garner the initially promised 3,000 protesters, Hamidzun attributed this to the police.
"I took two hours to reach here from Shah Alam. Many of our people are stuck in a massive traffic jam," he said.
The group dispersed around 12.30pm.
Last Friday, Gaps had submitted the same memorandum to the sultan of Selangor Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
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