Now, 1,000 black-shirts rally against Guan Eng

Some 1,000 youths wearing black marched from the Penang Umno building to Komtar this afternoon, demanding that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng resign or go on leave over his graft charges.

Led by Penang Umno Youth chief Rafizal Abdul Rahim, the group also pledged solidarity with Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is currently mired in controversy related to 1MDB.

Slogans like “Undur Guan Eng, Hancur Bersih" (Step Down Guan Eng, Destroy Bersih) rang through the air as the group began their 1km journey at about 2pm, slowing down traffic in the process.

Upon arrival at their destination, they handed a two-page memorandum, signed by 13 Penang Umno Youth divisions, to Lim's staff Zahar Zainol.

"The CM has been charged with two corruption charges. No one can accept someone who has been charged for a criminal offence to lead Penang," said Khairul Azwan Harun, who is Umno national youth vice-chief.

"How can Bersih ask Najib to step down when he is democratically elected?" asked Khairul Azwan. 

Rafizal said the protests will continue as long as Lim refused to go on leave or resign.

"We will protest closer and closer to Lim's residence (on Jalan Pinhorn)," he added.

Lim has claimed trial to two charges over the purchase of his bungalow, and the case will be mentioned for the second time on Dec 6 at the Penang High Court. 

Rafizal today also urged the “yellow-shirts” – electoral reform movement Bersih – to stop its planned Nov 19 rally in Kuala Lumpur.

"Where there are yellow-shirts, there will be red-shirts," he warned, the latter of which refers to the pro-establishment group that has dogged Bersih’s convoy ahead of the rally. 

Asked why they are wearing black T-shirts today instead of red, Rafizal replied: “This group represents all except yellow-shirts."

He claimed that the group gathered today numbered around 3,500 but journalists observed that fewer than one-third of that figure were present. 

The protest ended peacefully after 30 minutes, with police observing the scene, to prevent any untoward incident from happening. - Mkini