PETALING JAYA (Mar 23): The sit-in protest against the goods and services tax (GST) at the Customs Department office in Kelana Jaya today turned ugly when protesters were barred from entering the ground floor of the building.

A scuffle broke out between protesters and police at the public counter.

The brawl was stopped and protesters dispersed as several leaders of the group, led by Gabungan Bantah GST and spearheaded by Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) asked them to calm down and follow the initial plan to stage a sit-in.

The situation remained tense, with protesters still shouting "Buka" (open) and "Polis kacau" (police are disrupting us), as negotiations between the protest's leaders and the police continued.

More than 100 people turned up to join the protest, walking to the Customs office which sits along the busy Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP) in Petaling Jaya.

The crowd arrived about 11.15am amid police presence outside the building.

"We want the Customs director to come down here and give us explanation," PSM secretary-general S. Arutchelvan said.

"We were informed that Customs is making some preparation to meet us."

Among those spotted in the crowd were national laureate and activist Datuk A. Samad Said, former student leader Safwan Anang, and retired teacher Annie Ooi, better known as "Aunty Bersih".

PAS politicians Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Kuala Krai MP Dr Hatta Ramli were also present.

Arutchelvan began giving a speech as more than 40 of the police's Light Strike Force personnel equipped with riot gear stood in a circle around the group.

"We ask the police not to make the situation worse," Arutchelvan said.

At 1.04pm, several Customs officers, including the Kuala Lumpur Customs Department acting director Abd Gani Othman met the protesters.

He told the crowd he was "just doing his job" and was willing to engage their questions through written answers.

"I'm ready to answer through written replies. My duty is only as an administrator, not policymaker."

The protesters handed over 106 questions they had compiled before Gani left.

This renewed an outcry among the protesters, with a student activist from Universiti Malaya, Khairol Najib, shouting after Gani that his salary and that of other Customs officials were paid by taxpayers.

Arutchelvan then said the group would continue to wait outside until Gani answered them.