KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — The police are willing to facilitate the planned mass rally on May 1 to protest the Goods and Service Tax (GST), Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

Khalid said, however, that this was dependent on the organisers obtaining the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) approval to use the venue, warning that action will be taken against those who flout this requirement.

“I hope the location of the rally is a location that is approved by DBKL and when they get approval from DBKL, PDRM will give full cooperation to ensure this programme will happen smoothly and safely.

“But if it happens the other way round, the organisers must be prepared to face the law,” he told reporters today.

Khalid said he has instructed the Dang Wangi district police chief to liaise with the rally organisers.

He also suggested that the rally organisers contact the Dang Wangi police chief to enable police preparation and arrangements for the May Day gathering.

The organisers of the #KitaLawan rally series are aiming for one million participants at their anti-GST rally on Labour Day on May 1, a day traditionally marked with protests by trade unions.

The #KitaLawan anti-GST protest on May 1 is to urge Putrajaya to abolish the tax scheme immediately, with the group claiming that the GST has caused an increase in the cost of living.

The group also plans to occupy an area in Dataran Merdeka and call it “Dataran #KitaLawan” as a symbolic move of defiance against the alleged police crackdown on dissent, as well as to express their right to peacefully assemble.

The historic Dataran Merdeka falls under DBKL’s jurisdiction.

A previous protest over the tax led to the arrests of 79 people last month during a sit-in at the Federal Territory Customs Department office at Kelana Jaya, 25 of whom were later charged under Section 21(1)(d) of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012.

The #KitaLawan rallies were started to call for the release of former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently serving a five-year jail term after being convicted of sodomising a former aide.