- Title: Thousands march in Malaysia demanding resignation of PM
- Date: 19th November 2016
- Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (NOVEMBER 19, 2016) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS SINGING/CHANTING VARIOUS IF PROTESTER CHANTING AND HOLDING PLACARDS PROTESTERS MARCHING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING FORMER BERSIH CHAIRPERSON AMBIGA SREENEVASAN SPEAKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER BERSIH CHAIRPERSON, AMBIGA SREENEVASAN, SAYING: "What happened today is what is going to give us hope. Yesterday everyone felt so hopeless when they saw Malaysiakini being charged and they saw Maria dragged off, people felt that but today, the people have shown us that this country is worth fighting for. That's what they have shown and that they are prepared to fight for their country, and I think that is an unbelievable message that they are giving by their presence." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, RAYMUND WONG, SAYING: "At the end of the day it is all about being there, even if you can't walk so what? There is evidence that people are out here, we may not necessarily be at the same location that we intended to be at but nevertheless within the vicinity of the location is good enough. We are actually coming out to say the same thing, I agree it's unfortunate that we can't to go where we want to go, but never the less as long as people are coming out, I say that says a lot." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Malaysia) PROTESTER, MUHD RADZI, SAYING: "We expect the process of democracy to be fruitful in Malaysia and so we want the opposition to share the same rights as the government." VARIOUS OF PROTEST VARIOUS OF POLICE STANDING GUARD
- Embargoed: 4th December 2016 07:02
- Keywords: Malaysia rally anti-government protest Kuala Lumpur resignation Najib Razak
- Location: KULAL LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- City: KULAL LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001593ZYH3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of anti-government protesters marched in Malaysia's capital on Saturday (November 19) demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak over his alleged involvement in a multi-billion dollar misappropriation scandal.
Clad in yellow shirts and unfazed by arrests of activists and opposition leaders just hours before the rally, protesters marched from various spots towards the heart of Kuala Lumpur amid tight security.
The mood among those gathered was festive, with drums and vuvuzelas heard along with speeches, songs and chants by participants calling for a clean Malaysia and people power.
The demonstration is unlikely to shake Najib, who has denied wrongdoing and weathered the crisis, consolidating power by cracking down on dissenters and curbing media groups and activists.
Police have said the Bersih rally is illegal and have blocked large parts of Kuala Lumpur.
Riot police and water cannons were on the streets.
"What happened today is what is going to give us hope. Yesterday everyone felt so hopeless when they saw Malaysiakini being charged and they saw Maria dragged off, people felt that but today, the people have shown us that this country is worth fighting for. That's what they have shown and that they are prepared to fight for their country, and I think that is an unbelievable message that they are giving by their presence," said former Bersih Chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan.
Thousands of protesters were blocked from marching to Merdeka Square, the area where they planned to gather.
"At the end of the day it is all about being there, even if you can't walk so what? There is evidence that people are out here, we may not necessarily be at the same location that we intended to be at but nevertheless within the vicinity of the location is good enough. We are actually coming out to say the same thing, I agree it's unfortunate that we can't to go where we want to go, but never the less as long as people are coming out, I say that says a lot," said Raymund Wong, one of the protesters.
""We expect the process of democracy to be fruitful in Malaysia and so we want the opposition to share the same rights as the government," said Mohd Radzi, another demonstrator.
The head of the pro-democracy group Bersih - the organizers of Saturday's rally - was arrested on Friday (November 18) along with several other supporters of the demonstration, including opposition leaders and student activists. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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