Injured Malaysian Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in hospital

Ibrahim said he had sustained an injury on his head and a cut on his leg when police fired tear gas.

Malaysian Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he had sustained an injury on his head and a cut on his leg when police fired tear gas on hundreds of protesters demanding electoral reforms.

Wearing a yellow T-shirt with ‘Bersih’ written on it,62-year-old Anwar was taken to hospital where he has been advised rest.

The Opposition leader had tubes in his nose and was wearing a neck brace.

More than 50,000 people poured onto the streets of Malaysian capital in the biggest political showdown in years to demand electoral reforms,defying a massive lockdown with authorities arresting more than 1,600 people,including Opposition leaders.

People came out in large numbers for the Opposition- backed rally organised by NGO Bersih 2.0 (meaning clean in Malay language),to bring pressure on Prime Minister Najib Razak’s long ruling coalition to usher in electoral reforms and more transparency ahead of national polls early next year.

Several opposition members were also present to support the rally which was declared illegal by the government.

Anwar fell and injured himself while attempting to dodge a tear-gas cannister that was fired at his direction,news reports said.

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Anwar condemned the police action. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Anwars bodyguard was also injured.

However,the inspector-general of police Ismail Omar defended the use of tear gas and water cannons by the police against Bersih 2.0 protesters,claiming that they were provoked into action and used only “minimal” force to disperse them.

He also denied claims that police had injured Anwar by firing tear gas canisters directly at the crowd assembled.

Ismail said the opposition leader was not even in the thick of the action.

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“He was not at Pudu area. That is the only place that had tear gas (fired). It is not true,” he said of Anwar’s alleged injuries,while adding that the senior politician was not arrested.

He,however,maintained that there were parties who had provoked the police.

“If there are (incidences of police brutality),you lodge a report,” he told journalists in response to a question on whether or not he will take stern action against officers found guilty of assaulting protesters.

The rally marked the culmination of a campaign launched by opposition parties who have accused Prime Minister Najib Razak’s national front government of clinging to power for 54-years through electoral frauds.