Thousands show up at Kota Kinabalu’s Bersih 4

Defying a police ban on their rally, more than 3,000 yellow shirted, flag waving Sabahans descended on Taman Awam Teluk Likas Dua beach for the Kota Kinabalu leg of the world-wide Bersih rally this afternoon. Sabahans, who organisers feared were too timid for controversial political rallies came out in large numbers to support the rally, despite dire police warnings in local papers days leading up to the rally. At one point, the crowd marching to the rally's gathering point stretched for two kilometres on the jogging track along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, a scenic road outside Kota Kinabalu city centre that faces the Likas bay. The size of the crowd surprised head organiser Jannie Lasimbang, who said she was lost for words when she took the microphone to deliver her speech. "I don’t know what to say because they are so many of you. Thank you for being so brave, all of you," said Lasimbang from the top of a truck in Taman Teluk Likas Dua where the rally is taking place. In the days leading to the rally, organisers feared that only about 1,000 would show up due to authorities' refusal to allow the rally to go on. Previous warnings from authorities issued at other gatherings, such as the May Day rally this year, had managed to scare people from showing up. The rally lived up to its billing as a "democracy festival" with traditional music from kadazan dusun instruments being played to accompany fiery political speeches. Organisers had promised a fun, educational gathering at the park to attract more Sabahans who would be turned off at the combative protests of the Peninsula. Although speakers from Sabah opposition parties from the DAP, PKR and PAS-splinter group GHB delivered hard-hitting diatribes against Barisan Nasional, the crowd's mood did not go beyond good-hearted cheering. Among the opposition leaders who showed up were DAP MP Jimmy Wong (Kota Kinabalu) Steven Wong (Sandakan), Penampang MP Darrel Leiking, Sabah PKR chief Datuk Lajim Ukin and Sabah GHB coordinator Hamzah Abdullah. As if to emphasise the leisurely mood of the rally, organisers have included a sunset watching session on the Teluk Likas beach as the first part of the gathering winds down for the evening. Rally participants lounged on plastic sheets facing Teluk Likas to take in the sunset and eat ice cream. A group of participants also took part in a clean up of Teluk Likas beach. More talks are planned for the rest of the evening before activities cease at 9pm. Some Bersih activists will camp out overnight at the park. The most controversial part and highlight of the Sabah rally will be tomorrow when organisers try to mount a 6-km democracy march to the city centre. – August 29, 2015.