KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the hot weather and a slight hiccup in assembly location, the protesters in white shirts marched on undeterred.
The media gathered at Majid Jamek in Kampung Baru at around 11.30am, which was originally supposed to be the starting point for the Save Malaysia rally the previous day.
There was a noticeable police presence at Masjid Jamek, with most of the forces stationed near Sogo Kuala Lumpur in standby mode.
However, it took longer than expected for the participants to arrive, with many of them joining after the zohor prayers had concluded. Initially, it was believed that everyone would gather at the mosque to pray before setting off, but it became known that some had already headed to the shopping complex early, while others congregated in Bukit Bintang.
Badrul Hisham Shaharin, popularly known as Chegubard, told the crowd that they were not initiating an assembly, but simply “marching” towards the Dang Wangi police headquarters to file a report against Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“This is not an assembly, and I urge everyone to remain calm,” he said.
Once the participants wearing white T-shirts were organized, the group proceeded towards Sogo, with police officers walking alongside them to ensure a smooth traffic flow.
Chants of “Refor-mati” and “Dakwa Zahid” (charge Zahid) reverberated through the streets as the group commenced their march at 2pm.
While the march proceeded smoothly, disgruntled motorists could be seen honking their horns and visibly expressing frustration at the temporary road “closure” as police temporarily halted traffic to allow the group to pass through a main intersection.
At the same time, a delegation, including Muafakat Nasional supreme council member Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, departed for the Dang Wangi police headquarters to lodge a report against the Deputy Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, at Sogo, the assembly continued with various speakers delivering speeches, calling for, among other things, the separation of executive powers for the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Also present in the crowd were Mersing MP Muhammad Islahuddin Abas, as well as Seberang Jaya and Taman Medan state assemblymen Izhar Shah Arif Shah and Dr Afif Bahardin.
Under police observation, the gathering finally ended peacefully at around 3.30pm, with everyone concluding the day by singing Negaraku in front of Sogo.
When speaking to the media after the conclusion of the gathering, Bersatu information chief Datuk Razali Idris reminded critics that before they criticize the group for marching on Malaysia Day, they should also remember history. He referred to the then Pakatan Rakyat’s insinuation in 2008 that they would take over the Federal Government by September 16.
“He said back then that he had the numbers, which meant he was going to bring down the ruling government on that date.
“God willing, next week we will go to Permatang Pauh and Bagan Datuk, which are two strongholds for the Prime Minister and his deputy,” he added.
Tun Faisal stated that this was just the beginning of a larger movement, with more marches planned. “If he doesn’t get charged again, we will march. If our police report isn’t investigated, we will march,” he concluded.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
