Pakatan Harapan will attempt to stage their first major rally today, dubbed the "Anti-Kleptocracy rally," in protest against the lack of action taken over the 1MDB saga.
The rally is scheduled for 4pm at Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya. Rally organisers have been holding talks throughout the country in recent months in an attempt to mobilise 100,000 people.
Although the police have disapproved of the event, citing possible traffic congestion as the main reason, organisers are pressing ahead.
There are also concerns that the event might be disrupted by a group of people, led by Sungai Besar Umno division head Jamal Md Yunos, who intends to sell discounted fish at the rally venue.
LIVE reports from the rally follows:
5.00pm - Padang Timur: Bersatu supreme council member and former journalist A Kadir Jasin believes that the crowd numbers will pick up later because the public is fed up with "kleptocracy".
"God willing, more people will join us later. Public participation is important to prove that Malaysians are familiar with the term 'kleptocracy'," he tells reporters.
He says that the public are now aware of the problems with a kleptocracy and will do what they can to stem it.
Meanwhile, PKR's shipment of flag poles are here and volunteers are busy putting up flags.
4.40PM - Padang Timur: The first round of speeches kick off with a plea from PKR youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad for youths to register as voters.
He said with Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Lim Kit Siang and Mohamad Sabu at the helm, Pakatan Harapan stands a good chance at winning the 14th general election, but not without the youth vote.
He pointed out that there are still three million eligible youths who have yet to register.
"We may resent the Election Commission for making things difficult, but let's not make excuses.
"Go to the post office even if you haven't been to the post office before. Do what you need to do to expel Umno and BN from Putrajaya," he said.
Amanah Youth chief and rally organiser Faiz Fadzil leads the crowd in a round of "Tangkap (arrest) Najib!" chants and says the people can see for themselves the lack of enforcement over 1MDB related matters.
He promises that Pakatan Harapan will get to the bottom of 1MDB-related problems within 100 days after toppling BN in Putrajaya.
Following this, DAP Youth chief Wong Kah Woh says Haparan will make Malaysia the Top 10 "cleanest" country in the within 10 years should the coalition comes to power.
The Harapan youth speeches were followed by a lion dance performance.
4.30PM - Padang Timur: A group known as Sosialis Alternatif is setting up shop on the field to sell their newsletter, but they are no fans of Pakatan Harapan.
The group's representative Mohamad Amerul Zufar says the group's purpose is to oppose capitalism and not support the opposition coalition.
"We are a group of people looking for an political alternative. We support the workers and we oppose capitalism and nationalism.
"For examples, we demand the increase of wages and also lower housing prices. We need to escape from capitalism and embrace socialism," says Amerul.
He says Malaysia's problems will continue even if Harapan were to rule unless the problems of capitalism is addressed.
"Harapan will still cooperate with those foreign companies which exploit our workers. Politicians need to work for people, not for profit," he says.
4.25PM - Padang Timur: Things are officially underway as the rally organisers lead the crowd, about 1,500 people, in the singing of the national anthem.
Amanah president Mohamad Sabu then leads the crowd into chanting "Malaysia kita punya" (Malaysia belongs to us).
Harapan leaders are slowly filling up the seats on stage.
4.10PM - Padang Timur: The "Anti-Kleptocracy rally" kicks off with speeches by Pakatan Harapan youth leaders.
A few hundred people are following proceedings near the stage, although most are taking cover in shaded areas around the field.
Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad arrives and takes a seat with a handful of top component party leaders on stage.
3.45PM - Padang Timur: It would appear that people that are milling around in the Padang Timur vicinity appear to be mostly middle-aged or the elderly.
In view of this, Batu Amanah division chief Ishak Surin (photo) says young people must come forth and join the "Anti-Kleptocracy rally".
"It is 'wajib' (compulsory) for people to oppose cruelty, meaning it is berdosa (sinful) if you are not with us.
"Dr Mahathir Mohamad is 92 years old, and he still fights for the country. It will be a shame for those who are younger to not join the struggle," says the 82-year-old activist.
3.30PM - Padang Timur: PKR's flag woes appears to be sorted and a few can be seen now.
However, still missing is Sungai Besar Umno division head Jamal Md Yunos, who was supposed to set up a fish stall here at about 3pm.
Based on a posting in his Facebook page, Jamal ran a discount fish market in Meru, Selangor this morning before heading to Kuala Lumpur to check on his food stall, which will serve lunch to the poor between Monday and Friday from Monday onwards.
3.15PM - Padang Timur: About 70 people disembark from buses near the field. According to Lim Tze Fei, 45, everyone on the bus were Harapan supporters from Kluang and Mersing, Johor.
"I took part in many rallies since Bersih 2. Now, our job is to chase away that 'thief'," says Lim.
He says that even though he is critical of Dr Mahathir Mohamad's reign as prime minister, he believes that things will not be the same if Harapan seizes Putrajaya.
"There will be balance of power. Besides, Bersatu is still a new party," he says.
There are hardly anyone on the field as most people are taking cover from the heat.
3.00PM - Petaling Jaya police HQ: A Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) water cannon and four personnel carriers are seen outside the police station.
The police station is about a 5 minutes drive from Padang Timur.
There is hardly any police presence at Padang Timur.
2.40PM - Amcorp Mall: Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad will drop by Padang Timur at about 4pm although he will only speak late at night.
"He is having a walkabout and will visit the stalls. He will then need to take leave to rest and come back by about 8pm," says Bersatu's media officer Mohd Ikhmal Abu Bakar.
WEATHER UPDATE: Clear skies with temperatures up to 33 celsius.
2.35PM - Padang Timur: Sungai Besar Umno division leader Jamal Md Yunos' promise to set up at fish stall at noon did not materialise.
Some of his supporters say he will likely show up with the goods at about 3pm.
2.30PM - Padang Timur: The anti-kleptocracy rally appears to have run into its first hitch.
The roads all around the venue are adorned with the flags of Pakatan Harapan component parties, except for PKR, which are conspicuously missing.
It is understood that the party volunteers had brought the flags, but not the flag poles.
Nevertheless, the event's technical committee director Faiz Fadzil assured that the oversight is being rectified.
"The sticks are on the way. Each party is responsible to bring their own sticks, so maybe there was some miscommunication," he told Malaysiakini when met.
Meanwhile, the Padang Timur field appears to be mostly empty apart for stalls selling political paraphernalia, food, and other goods such as car perfumes and sunglasses, and other stalls remain empty.
Most would-be participants appear to have opted to seek shelter from the sweltering heat and sun in the nearby A&W Restaurant and AmCorp Mall instead.
At the stage, workers are seen putting finishing touches while songs such as "Just change it," "Ubah," "Gemuruh," and "Keranamu Malaysia" are being played.
Alwi Idrus (photo), a 69-year-old Bersatu member, paid an RM50 bus fare to come all the way from Johor to join the rally.
"Not only me, all of the PKR, Amanah and DAP members who came in the same bus from Mersing forked out our own money.
"I am just an ordinary member, but I came for the sake of the party's struggle," he said.
Alwi had joined Umno when he was 16 years old, but left the party in 1996 when Dr Mahahtir Mohamad helmed the party.
"I left because he declined to hear the voice of the people, and I came to love him again when he started listening to us," he said, adding that he wants to see Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak ousted.- Mkini
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