KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — #Merah169 protesters attempting to force their way past police into Petaling Street said they are entitled to enter the area as the country is “Malay land”.

In a standoff with police who earlier fired water cannons at the protesters in order to force their dispersal from the entrance to “Chinatown”, rally-goers remain adamant on marching through the street that is home to businesses perceived as Chinese-owned.

“This is Malay Land; it was the Malays who won our independence, not the Chinese. We have a right to be here,” said one rally organiser.

Riot police form a wall at the entrance of Petaling Street to prevent protesters from entering the area, September 16, 2015. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

The situation in Petaling Street remains on edge even as the larger rally at Padang Merbok began winding down at 6pm, despite organisers previously saying the event would continue until midnight.

Police had briefly deployed their water cannon trucks at Petaling Street after #Merah169 attendees threw water bottles and stones at the officers preventing the crowd from entering the tourist spot.

Riot police have now come out in force at the area in anticipation of further trouble with the crowd, with an estimated 1,000 Federal Reserve Unit members deployed.

Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Jamal Md Yunos who heads the Coalition of Malay NGOs arrived later to negotiate with police to secure entry into Petaling Street for #Merah169 protesters, after leaving Padang Merbok following the end of the larger rally there.

“I am not here to further incite the situation. We are trying to negotiate,” he said to a police officer at the scene.

“We are asking for passage (into Petaling Street).”

Jamal’s group previously planned to converge in Petaling Street and outside the Low Yat Plaza shopping mall, ostensibly due to the perceived Chinese links in both areas, but dropped their plans following police rejection.

#Merah169 protesters earlier charged police lines repeatedly along Jalan Bukit Bintang in attempts to reach Low Yat Plaza, but failed when police were able to reform and hold their lines after initial chaos.

The crowd later dispersed from Petaling Street without further incident.

Protesters are holding their ground at Petaling Street, insisting that the authorities allow them to march through the popular lane usually dominated by Chinese vendors, September 16, 2015. — Picture by Kamles Kumar

Thousands of red-shirted people were bussed into the federal capital this morning to take part in a rally officially called “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” or the United People’s Assembly, but which drew concern among traders in the city centre and ethnic Chinese business leaders.

The protest was also marred by sporadic outbreaks of racism, with one attendee recorded calling a reporter “Crazy Chinese pig”, among other insults.

The rally, said to be in support of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership, was to counter to last month’s two-day Bersih 4 gathering calling for the prime minister’s resignation.

The ruling Malay party has insisted that it does not endorse the event, which has also been alternately called “Himpunan Maruah Melayu”, but has not prohibited its members from participating in today’s demonstration organised by martial arts group Pesaka.