KUALA LUMPUR — An anti-graft rally in the capital today drew over 200 people, mostly youth participants who marched peacefully to Dataran Merdeka while police watched without intervening.
Most of them were dressed in black as they chanted slogans while walking down Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman led by university students.
“Mahasiswa, jangan takut! Mahasiswa, jangan dibeli! (Students, don’t be afraid! Students, don’t be bought over!)” was one of the chants to the beat of drums.
They carried posters that read “Students against Corruption”, as well as caricatures of certain high-ranking who were acquitted of corruption charges. These included Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Ser Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Other posters depicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, with the words ”No house arrest for Najib”, in reference to the imprisoned former leader’s bid to serve the remainder of his sentence for corruption under home imprisonment.
Dubbed “Himpunan Rakyat Benci Rasuah”, the demonstration organised by a collective of civil society groups calling themselves Sekretariat Rakyat Benci Rasuah (SRBR) has the backing of around 50 such groups, as well as individual activists and university students.
They have claimed political neutrality, telling PAS Youth and PKR Youth in recent days not to use the rally for their own agendas.
Notable figures spotted included graphic designer and activist Fahmi Reza, whose caricature depicting Sabah Governor Musa as corrupt has landed him in trouble with the police, and Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s deputy chairman S Arutchelvan.
Student leader from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Muhammad Zaim Zulkilfi Ariff, 21, addressed the crowd after it reached Dataran Merdeka, urging them to fight on against corruption.
“We youths carry the burden of disappointment and all the emotions that the rakyat feel about the present government,” said Zaim, a political science student who is also SRBR secretary.
He also acknowledged the attendance of a few members from the youth wings of PAS, PKR and Bersatu. None of the parties’ higher ranking leaders were visible.
The speeches continued with another student leader telling the crowd to sit down as “telling stories about corruption will take a long time”.
The rally ended shortly after 4pm and the crowd dispersed peacefully.
Earlier, protestors began marching from the Sogo shopping centre where they had assembled at 2.30pm.
Although the main entrance of the shopping complex had been cordoned off with barricades and red tape, the rally-goers removed these and breached the area. Police observed, but did not do anything to stop them.
SRBR’s main demands to the government are for the separation of the Attorney-General’s Chambers from the purview of the Prime Minister’s Office, measures to ensure the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) independence from political decisions, and iIntroduction of a Political Funding Act.
The past week in the run up to the rally saw debate over the need for organisers to obtain permission from venue owners, such as Kuala Lumpur City Hall for the use of Dataran Merdeka, as part of police’s conditions for the gathering to proceed.
Some ministers held that permission was needed, while a few government backbenchers said it was not. Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he had no problem with the rally being held, after which Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police would facilitate the rally. – January 25, 2025