Malaysian concerns over Olympic torch relay

A Malaysian Olympic official says he fears foreign agitators might disrupt the Malaysian leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay.

Malaysian Olympic Council Secretary General Sieh Kok Chi says Malaysians are peaceful and he does not believe they will try to disrupt the torch run.

But he warns against people he has called professional agitators coming into Malaysia from abroad and seeking to hold demonstrations similar to those that interrupted the torch's progress in London, Paris and San Francisco.

"We should look at the Olympics as sports, I hope we can keep politics out of the Olympics," he said.

General Sieh says police will closely monitor events leading up to the torch relay, which starts in Malaysia on April 21.

"Security arrangements are being coordinated by the police, (and) we have full confidence in the security forces," he said.

The Malaysian torch relay will begin at Merdeka or Independence square in central Kuala Lumpur, to be carried by corporate leaders, athletes and members of the public to the city's twin towers.

The Asian leg of the international torch relay will begin on Thursday in India, before heading to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam, and ultimately reaching China.

ABC.Net