Malaysians seek voting reform

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - At least 20,000 Malaysians defied government warnings by marching for electoral reforms yesterday, as police fired tear gas and detained more than 1,600 in the country’s biggest political rally in four years.

The crackdown on the opposition-backed demonstration in Malaysia’s main city, Kuala Lumpur, triggered criticism that Prime Minister Najib Razak’s long-ruling coalition was unwilling to allow public dissent or make election laws more fair ahead of national polls widely expected by mid-2012.

Najib’s administration declared the rally illegal and warned people repeatedly over the past month to avoid it. Officials insisted it was simply an opposition scheme to spark chaos and stir antigovernment sentiment, while activists accused authorities of being afraid of a protest that could undermine their authority.