Malaysia: Protesters Demand Prime Minister’s Resignation

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters, clad in yellow t-shirts, gathered in the Malaysian capital on Saturday seeking Prime Minister Najib Razak’s resignation over graft allegations.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin suggested that all roads designated as marching routes for the Bersih 5 rally should be closed so that the marches would not take place and warned that Umno Youth members participating could face disciplinary action by the party.

The Bersih tweeted that police raided its office on Friday and detained its chairwoman Maria Chin.

Bersih, which has yellow as its theme colour, is a movement calling for electoral reform in Malaysia, and has planned a rally for tomorrow (Saturday) at Dataran Merdeka in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

“Najib’s latest crackdown on the freedom of the press is all about trying to eliminate views that challenge pro-government narratives in the government-controlled print media, TV, and radio”, Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch told Time.

Activists from the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) waves with a banner that reads “BERSIH, United Force of New Malaysia” during a rally in front of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016.

Mr. Najib is clinging to power despite increasingly damaging allegations that he took part in the looting of billions in state funds.

Najib has been at the centre of a corruption scandal since July 2015. Other purchases linked to the fund include properties in Los Angeles and NY, paintings by Monet and Van Gogh and a $35-million jet. Wearing yellow shirts, groups carried large banners with effigies of the country’s administration, while many were chanting “save democracy” and “step down Najib”.

The corruption scandal has gripped a country that has otherwise been a bulwark of political stability in Southeast Asia, long embraced by the West for its moderate brand of Islam. “However, the Malaysian authorities remain free to use the information provided in Switzerland’s requests for assistance in their own investigations”, Lauber added.

After a final round of speeches by opposition politicians and activists a halt was called at around 5.45 p.m. (0945GMT). Police estimated that around 15,000 protesters were present, smaller than a similar rally held previous year.

“They steal people’s money, they squander our wealth, they sell our pride”, Yassin said.

Najib, who has denied any wrongdoing, said he won’t be cowed by the rallies.

But he has quit UMNO in disgust over 1MDB and formed a new opposition party.

The police were still in the offices and there was no confirmation of any arrests made.

“They should play by the rules of our democracy and wait until the next election so that the majority of Malaysians can again choose their government via the ballot box”. The deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said there could be more arrests in the coming days.

Last year, more than 200,000 attended a similar rally organised by Bersih, after the Wall Street Journal reported that almost funds from 1MDB was diverted into the personal bank account of the prime minister.