KL police gear up for anti-PM Anwar protest on Jul 26

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 2,000 police officers and personnel will be deployed in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (Jul 26) for a protest against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that is expected to draw around 15,000 people, local media reported. 

It is believed that if such a number of protesters materialises, it would be the largest protest in nearly a decade against a sitting Malaysian leader.

Anwar himself has instructed the Royal Malaysia Police to ensure that the upcoming “Turun Anwar” rally, which means “Step Down, Anwar” in Malay, continues without any form of intimidation, as part of his commitment to upholding democratic freedom in the country, according to Senior Press Secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah on Thursday. 

“The prime minister has instructed the police to provide the necessary cooperation to facilitate the demonstration led by PAS as long as it is held peacefully and in accordance with the law,” Tunku Nashrul said in a livestream, referring to Malaysia’s Islamic party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). 

The upcoming rally culminating at Dataran Merdeka, a square commemorating the country’s independence, is reportedly organised by opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional, which PAS is part of, to push for Anwar’s resignation. 

“The prime minister stresses that the Madani government stands strong not because it shuts down criticism but because it embraces tolerance with compassion and integrity,” added Tunku Nashrul on Thursday, as quoted by Malay Mail. 

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail on Friday also expressed hope that those planning to attend the upcoming rally would be respectful and observe the law.

“We greatly appreciate the cooperation of all parties to ensure that the rally proceeds peacefully,” Khalid said in a statement, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today. 

He also advised members of the public to plan any trips in advance to avoid delays due to expected traffic congestion.

According to the event poster circulating online, participants are told to gather at 2pm at four main locations in the capital, including the National Mosque and SOGO shopping complex, before marching to Dataran Merdeka. 

Dataran Merdeka is where several anti-government demonstrations have been held in the past. Notably, it was a key gathering point during the Reformasi movement led by Anwar himself after his dismissal from the government in 1998. 

The area in the capital also served as a central venue for a series of major anti-government rallies organised by Bersih, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, which comprised civil society organisations. 

Bersih had organised five massive rallies in Kuala Lumpur between November 2007 and November 2016, the last two of which drew tens of thousands of protestors, if not more, who rallied against corruption and for the resignation of then-Prime Minister Najib Razak, among other things.  

Since then, there have been sporadic protests against the government or prime minister, but these have been on a far smaller scale. 

For instance, hundreds gathered in downtown Kuala Lumpur in July 2021 to call on then-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign over his government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Saturday’s rallygoers have been asked to wear black as a symbol of solidarity. They are also prohibited from bringing their children. 

While police are expecting 15,000 people, according to local media, organisers expect up to 300,000 participants to attend “Turun Anwar” on Saturday although a similar protest in Selangor’s Shah Alam held earlier this month on Jul 6 drew just over 300 people, Free Malaysia Today reported.

In a video on Facebook on Friday, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad urged fellow Malaysians to attend the rally, which he claimed is the “only platform allowed in Malaysia’s democracy to call for Anwar’s resignation”.

“Therefore, come in large numbers so that he realises that the people are unhappy with his leadership … Step down, Anwar, you have betrayed this country,” the 100-year-old former prime minister said in the video.

Anwar and Mahathir have held a decades-long rivalry since the former was fired by the latter in 1998, though both buried their hatchet temporarily in 2018 to combine forces and defeat Najib in the general elections.

Acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Usuf Jan Mohamad said on Thursday that no roads would be closed in the capital city ahead of the "Himpunan Turun Anwar" rally.

Last week, civil servants were told to avoid the rally as Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said it was inappropriate “because the action is not in accordance with the principle of loyalty to king and country as espoused by the Rukun Negara”, reported local media. 

Rukun Negara, also known as the National Principles, is a declaration of national philosophy introduced in 1970 to foster national unity in Malaysia. 

On Wednesday, the Attorney General’s Chambers said that civil servants are bound by specific directives issued by Shamsul, and those who fail to comply could face disciplinary action.