KUALA LUMPUR: Members and leaders of several political parties and NGOs staged a protest near the United States’ embassy against the country’s travel ban.

The ban, which was signed by President Donald Trump last Friday, saw visitors, immigrants and refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries including Iraq and Syria, banned from entering the country.

The protesters began arriving near the embassy at about 2.30pm yesterday.

Throughout the two-hour protest, they chanted slogans condemning the travel ban while holding placards with unflattering caricatures of the real estate tycoon-turned president.

A memorandum condemning the travel ban was also passed to embassy staff.

While police presence was noticeable, the protest went without any incident.

Participants included social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu and Pakatan Harapan chief secretary Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

“We are not against democracy or America.

“All of us here are against discrimination, more so if it is selected discrimination.

“We want interfaith understanding, but this executive order spoils it all.

“This feeds into the Daesh narrative,” said Saifuddin, referring to the Islamic State terror group.-thestar