Poor turnout at May 1 rally without politicians

Members of some 70 NGOs, activist groups and political parties march from Maju Junction to Medan Pasar.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Some 500 people gathered in the city centre today for the May 1 workers’ day rally.

The rally, organised by some 70 non-governmental organisations, activist groups and political parties, started outside the Maju Junction Mall at 9am.

Participants then marched towards Medan Pasar at 10.45am, chanting ‘hidup rakyat, hidup pekerja’.

Among the demands put forward by rally participants were for the government to implement minimum wage at RM1,5000, calling for the setting up of a retrenchment fund and abolition of the goods and services tax.

Various other issues were also raised with participants carrying banners and placards calling for ‘No nations, no borders’.

Some carried placards rejecting both Prime Minister Najib Razak and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and calling for press freedom.

Among those present was Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s former secretary-general S. Arutchelvan.

At a press conference earlier this week, the rally’s organising committee predicted some 1,000 attendees.

The poor turnout however could be attributed to the lack of direct participation of the main Opposition political parties; PKR, PAS, DAP and Amanah.

It could also be due to the fact that May 1 this year falls on a Sunday, leading to a three-day weekend, coupled with the Sarawak election campaign currently in full swing.