Low attendance at opposition rally

PADANG TERAP: The low attendance at the opposition rally in Petaling Jaya on Saturday proves that the people are fed up with their propaganda.

The rally at Padang Timur which began at 4pm had targeted some 100,000 people but only 25,000 people attended the rally, as announced by the organisers.

“The people are fed up with all kinds of insults spewed by opposition leaders who do not show the polite culture and customs of Malaysians.

“The opposition leaders also play up old issues in their speeches and did not present their election manifesto,” he told reporters at an event with Padang Terap Umno division veterans, here yesterday.

Referring to a remark that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was an enemy of the state, Mahdzir said it was sheer nonsense.

The Umno Supreme Council member was referring to a remark made by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the rally.

Thousands of protesters demonstrated on Saturday against Najib as political tensions rise ahead of an election expected within months.

Led by opposition politicians from the Pakatan Harapan coalition, or Pact of Hope, the carnival-like rally was the latest outburst of anger linked to claims that huge amounts of money were looted from a state investment fund set up by Najib.

Both Najib and the fund, 1MDB, deny wrongdoing.

Speaking at the rally, Dr Mahathir said it was time for Malaysians to vote out the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

“We can bring down Najib only by (voting) Pakatan Harapan,” he said in a speech, addressing a crowd clad in mostly red Tshirts, a color similarly worn by members of Mahathir’s Bersatu party.

Protesters were heard chanting “Reformasi” (“Reformation”), “Long live the people”, and “Down with BN” during the eight-hourlong rally, which organisers claimed some 25,000 people showed up for.

Police did not immediately respond to requests for an estimate on the figure, but an AFP reporter said there appeared to be at most several thousand.

The opposition is set to contest in the 14th general election -which is due in 2018-- against the Barisan Nasional, which has never lost an election.

Mahathir recently stepped out of retirement in politics to form his own party, and joined the opposition alliance in a bid to unseat Najib at the elections.