Australian senator caught up in Malaysian violence
Updated 29 April 2012, 7:42 AEST
Protesters take to the streets demanding electoral reform in Malaysia. [ABC]
Thousands of protesters gathered in Kuala Lumpur's central square calling for changes to the electoral system, which they claim has been manipulated to favour the long-ruling coalition in forthcoming elections.
Senator Xenophon was among the crowds when police fired tear gas at demonstrators.
"The police have lobbed at least a dozen canisters that I've seen in my immediate vicinity," he said.
"We've seen people here who've collapsed, who've been vomiting as a result of the tear gas and some people have become quite ill.
"Even though I'm a couple of hundred metres away from it it's actually starting to sting.
"It's just an extraordinary scene. There is a bit of panic here. It's getting pretty messy here and there's a bit of a crush in the crowd."
Witnesses say the protesters trampled through barbed-wire barricades set up around the heavily-
guarded Merdeka Square, in defiance of a court order that had banned them from the square.
Protesters also battled with police at a train station nearby, throwing bottles and chairs at officers who responded by firing tear gas rounds.
Most of the protesters had dispersed about an hour after the violence began, but several hundred remained and were still taunting police.
Police insist they were forced to move against the protesters after they failed to heed warnings, but rights groups say the action was unjustified.
"They fired a shot at us and then instead of saying sorry ... they shot some more," one protester said.
Senator Xenophon says it is time for the Australian Government to reconsider its relationship with the Malaysian authorities.
"I wonder whether the Australian government has been mute about human rights issues ... by virtue of our reliance on the refugee swap deal," he said.
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