KUALA LUMPUR: Racial fighting between Malays and Chinese broke out here again tonight [May 14] and the Government called up its territorial troops and some military reservists to help check the trouble.

Proclamations mobilising all territorial troops and reservists of the Malay Regiment were issued as some 3,000 hard-pressed Police and troops tried to prevent roving gangs inflicting a second night of terror on the city. There were some sporadic incidents in the federal capital today and 158 curfew breakers were arrested. Sporadic gunshots could again be heard as security forces tried to enforce the curfew. The riots continued throughout part of the night.

Rumours that water supplies to the city may be cut off or sabotaged sent housewives storing up water. There were also fears that electricity supplies might break down as they did in certain parts last night. Telephone services remain partly cut.

The Malaysian Government tonight assumed wide authoritarian powers over the whole country to deal with continued racial rioting in which about 70 persons are believed to have been killed and 114 injured. ...“There are bodies all over Kuala Lumpur,” one Police source said. “It will be some time before we round them all up.”

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2019