2008 베이징 올림픽 성화가 오늘 말레이시아의 수도 쿠알라 룸푸르에서 봉송됐습니다.
1천여명의 경찰이 동원돼 삼엄한 경계 속에서 치러진 오늘 성화 봉송 행사는 큰 항의시위 없이 무사히 끝났습니다.
오늘 성화 봉송은 중국 오성기의 물결과 환호 속에16 킬로미터의 구간을 시작했습니다.
한편 말레이시아 경찰은 성화 봉송이 시작되기 직전 성화 봉송 출발지점에서 티베트 지지 현수막을 흔들던 일본인 일가족을 체포했습니다.
목격자들에 따르면, 어른 두 명과 어린이 한 명의 일본인 일가족들을 곁에 서 있던 중국인들이 구타하자, 경찰이 일가족을 체포해 갔습니다.
*****
The Malaysian leg of the Olympic torch relay has safely drawn to a close in the capital Kuala Lumpur, where tight security prevented any possible disruptions.
The torch was greeted today by cheers and a sea of red Chinese flags as it began its 16.5 kilometer route that was protected by some one-thousand policemen and commandos.
Shortly before the event began, Malaysian police ushered a Japanese family away from the starting point.
Witnesses say Chinese bystanders heckled the family and hit them with inflated plastic batons after they unfurled a Tibetan flag.
The torch relay has attracted large and sometimes chaotic protests as it has trekked across the globe, although most relays in Asia have been largely peaceful.
Some of the worst protests occurred during the Paris leg of its journey where a wheelchair-bound Chinese athlete, Jin Jing, was attacked by a pro-Tibet protester.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy sent a letter to Jin Jing today, expressing his sympathy and displeasure about the incident.