Twists and firsts mark Malaysia’s massive anti-Najib rally

Malaysia’s first overnight street rally ended at midnight yesterday marked by surprise twists and many other firsts as organisers claimed hundreds and thousands of people turned up to call for the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. A large number of protesters slept on the streets of the capital city Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night in a nod to the 34-hour protest called by organisers and electoral reform group Bersih 2.0. While most rally goers had come prepared for a police clampdown, complete with masks and salt water to neutralise tear gas, the rally proceeded smoothly and the lack of police presence was clearly apparent throughout the entire weekend. “This was a surprisingly peaceful rally. Almost felt like we just went for a carnival,” said Lam Chee Chung, who had attended the Bersih 2 rally in 2011 when he was part of a group of protesters forced to take refuge in the grounds of Tung Shin hospital on Jalan Pudu after a police crackdown. “I came prepared this time, but am glad I didn’t have to use any of them. It was a good rally this time,” said the 37-year-old industrial engineer who travelled to KL by train from Seremban with his wife. Bersih 4 was a rally which demanded free and fair elections and a corrupt-free government. Organisers said the turnout also served as a referendum on Najib’s leadership, which has come under fierce criticism for links with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal. Participation in the weekend’s rally, as is the case for all of Bersih’s previous protests, was dominated by opposition politicians and civil society groups. However, the Bersih 4 protest was missing the usual participation and large member turnout from Islamist party PAS, following a fallout with former opposition alliance partners, DAP and PKR. The rally kicked off at 2pm on Saturday and after the initial round of speeches, appeared to have fizzled out slightly as the scorching heat and restlessness saw some sections of the crowd began to head home. But in an unexpected twist, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, shocked the crowds and organisers on Saturday when they made a pit stop at Dataran Merdeka. The visit appeared to have boosted the spirits of the crowd, many of whom jostled to greet the former statesman, even as Bersih organisers played down his presence. “Thank you for coming. We invited all, and hope more people from Umno will join us as this is a national call for reform,” Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah had said. “Making an appearance does not mean one supports Bersih,” said Bersih committee member Thomas Fann on Dr Mahathir’s visit. “He must publicly declare that he supports all the demands of Bersih,” he told The Malaysian Insider. Dr Mahathir, who has been Najib’s most influential and outspoken detractor, has repeatedly called for the prime minister to step down, claiming that he had lost the moral right to lead the nation. Dr Mahathir set tongues wagging again yesterday when he appeared once again at the rally, this time staying on long enough to address the media. In the days running up to the weekend’s protest, the Home Ministry had announced a slew of sanctions on the rally, including declaring the gathering illegal and making thinly veiled threats of intervention by the army. Organisers have maintained that the protest was a legal right of Malaysians to partake in a peaceful rally to voice their frustration at the current leadership. “If there is a negative element, we will not hesitate to defend the country,” prominent lawyer, rights advocate and first chairman of Bersih Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said earlier in her speech to the crowds yesterday. “This is the right platform to voice our dissatisfaction with corruption. If the people are dissatisfied, we must voice it out. This is our responsibility to the present and future generations.” The weekend’s rally ended at midnight with the singing of the national anthem to mark the country’s 58th year of independence today. – August 31, 2015.