PAKATAN Harapan’s Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy event today shed its daytime carnival feel to take on an electrifying tone after nightfall, with activists and leaders taking to the stage and issuing a rallying call for change.

The programme, held at Padang Timur in Petaling Jaya despite police’s advice for a venue change, saw thousands turn up to hear speeches by the opposition pact’s leadership and noted figures urging the people to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

They called on the rakyat to “free Malaysia from tyranny” and rid the country of a “mad government”, taking aim at “the kleptocrat” and corrupt officials who abused power and were involved in corruption.

The rally marked the end of a three-month nationwide roadshow that saw PH leaders explain to kampung and urban folk how funds were allegedly stolen from state investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad to purchase luxury assets, like real estate, paintings and jewellery.

The Malaysian Insight provided live coverage of the event as it unfolded.

11:40PM: The field is mostly empty, except for members of the media and people picking up rubbish in the area.

A member of the organising committee said all trash on the field had been picked up by the organising team without the need for assistance from the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council.

11.10PM: Event ends. PH leaders leave and crowd disperses.

11.02PM: It is understood that almost RM68,000 was collected during the rally.

10.25PM: Dr Mahathir, in his speech, said PH vowed to make Malaysia among the top 10 “cleanest” nations in the world by 2030.

“Billions of ringgit have disappeared due to the corrupt practices of the Umno-BN leadership.

“The mega scandals that have come to light, which had occurred since Najib became prime minister, have opened the eyes of the people to the impact that corruption has, tainting and destroying institutions like 1MDB, Mara, Felda and Tabung Haji, among others. The country can go bankrupt because of corruption.

“MACC now reports straight to the prime minister. They only dare go after small fry – low-ranking government officals or mid-level leaders. Sharks, like MO1 (Malaysian Official 1), who continue to be involved in corruption remain free.”

He stated five measures that the opposition pact would undertake in its first 100 days in power, should it win the 14th general election, namely arresting MO1 and other “sharks”; setting up a royal commission of inquiry into the misappropriation of funds from 1MDB and Felda; setting up an independent body to return assets and money that were stolen or misappropriated back to the people; making MACC an independent agency that reports straight to Parliament; and, ridding the practice of “direct negotiation” for all government contracts.

10.16PM: A four-minute video message from PH de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is played. The video, dubbed “Anwar’s message from prison”, featured the jailed leader’s earlier speeches that called on the people to topple the Umno-led government.

The crowd – which organisers estimated had swelled up to 25,000 people, while police put the figure at fewer than 10,000 – booed when images of Najib were shown in the clip.

10.05PM: Wan Azizah said it did not matter what race a person was – whether Chinese, Malay, Indian or Kadazan – and stressed the need for everyone to unite.

“Why is he (Najib) going to America and buying Boeings when our own medical students don’t have enough to eat?

“We need to unite, to change the government in the next election.”

10PM: Muhyiddin expressed his concern about the country being in a “darker” place under Najib’s rule.

“The prime minister is involved in a huge corruption scandal. I was in the government, and I myself witnessed Najib stealing the people’s money. This is fact, I’m not lying.

“The nation is facing a crisis that’s on a scale never before seen in its history.

“The country’s laws are supposed to protect the people’s rights. Today, power is seemingly not with the people, but with Najib, who abuses the power.

“This is why even though the case has been brought to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, no action is taken.”

9.50PM: Guan Eng said if Malaysians did not want to lose the country to the madness of BN, then they must get rid of “the kleptocrat”.

“They are a mad government, and we need a change. We want Malaysia to be normal again. We will replace BN with PH.

“Let’s all unite for our children and their future, and bring down the BN government.”

9.45PM: The PH leadership celebrates Mat Sabu’s birthday onstage. He turned 63 today.

9.40PM: In his speech, Mat Sabu sarcastically said the Chinese-ruled Singapore was envious of Malaysia.

“Singapore, a Chinese-majority country, is jealous of Malaysia’s economy.

“Can they (BN supporters) answer to issues on corruption? If they can’t, then support PH. Here, take the mic!”

9.30PM: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is swarmed by rally-goers upon his arrival, as Samad recites a poem onstage.

9.25PM: Ambiga said the BN government had been ruling for too long and must be voted out in the next general election.

“If we had an honest government, we would be the happiest people in the world. We don’t deserve this kind of (dishonest) government, which has been ruling for 60 years.

“Don’t give them another term. The power is in the hands of the people. If we love Malaysia, we must take action in the next election.

“We must be proud of the country we are going leave to our children.”

9.17PM: Activist Hishamuddin Rais invites all Malaysians to take down the Najib administration and save the country.

“We won’t have a choice if Najib continues to be in power. We will be used as pawns.

“Before the general election, we must take to the streets. Reformasi! Reformasi!”

9.11PM: Maria said the people had to put a stop to executives who had been abusing their power, especially Najib.

“We need a reform government, and it is up to the people to stand up and free Malaysia from tyranny.

“They only way they can do this is through the ballot box. Don’t boycott the election. If all Malaysians come out and vote, we can change the government.”

9.10PM: PH president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail walks onstage to shouts of “Reformasi” from the crowd.

8.55PM: Dr Mahathir returns to the venue.

8.50PM: Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub, in his speech, urged the rakyat to rise against Prime Minister Najib Razak for the sake of their future.

“Najib is a leader who’s crazy about stealing money from Malaysians. We have no choice but to elect a new leader, who can build up the people again.”

8.45PM: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, Amanah information chief Khalid Samad, lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan and national laureate A. Samad Said arrive.

8.30PM: Paramedic team coordinator Gengta Tan said since 4pm, five people had been treated for heatstroke.

“No one had to be sent to hospital. We brought down their body temperature, and checked their blood pressure and vitals.

“Only one case was relatively serious, and the person was sent to rest in an air-conditioned ambulance,” said the 37-year-old, whose team comprises volunteers.

8.25PM: Muhyiddin, Mat Sabu and Mukhriz are seen returning to the rally grounds.

8PM: The event resumes with rap group 5forty2 taking to the stage.

6.50PM: PH leaders are seen leaving Padang Timur as the event takes a break for Maghrib and special prayers.

6.45PM: Amanah vice-president Mujahid Yusof Rawa said PH did not have any problems with Malays, Chinese and Indians, but it took issue with “the kleptocrat”.

“We don’t have any problems with leaders from any race, but we do have problems with leaders who are corrupt and the kleptocrat.”

6.43PM: Bersatu vice-president Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the people must kick out the ruling government.

“People have been robbed of their rights. Everything that my friends have been telling during the talks around the country is true.”

He said he was monitoring the government’s activities, and would not allow it to rig the 14th general election.

“As long as I am in Bersatu, do not worry. I am beefing up the machinery to monitor the preparations for the election.”

6.31PM: Azmin leaves the gathering.

6.30PM: Wanita Amanah chief Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said Umno and BN were the biggest kleptocrats, and it was a “dream” to see former leaders of the Malay party sharing the stage with those who had long been part of the opposition.

“We first came into Parliament in 2008. Maybe, at the time, they could not see the elephant in the room, but now, they are with us and have finally realised what happened.”

She said the opposition had to be smart in channelling information to people living in rural areas, to make them understand what had happened as a result of kleptocracy.

“We talked about kleptocracy, 1MDB, and they didn’t understand. It is up to us to explain it to them. We have to use our wisdom.”

6.20PM: PH Women’s wing chief, Zuraida Kamaruddin, took to the stage and asked the crowd: “Why are we here? Because we want to save Malaysia.

“Us women, along with Amanah, Bersatu, PKR and DAP, will together take down BN.”

6.16PM: Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is seen leaving the venue.

6.15PM: Another of PH Women’s deputy chiefs, Rina Harun, in her speech said: “We have been oppressed. Prices are going up. Having a sale for just one day does not resolve the rakyat’s problems.

“What is the Wanita Umno head doing (to help the people)?”

6.05PM: PH Women deputy chief Chong Eng called on women to unite in supporting the opposition pact, which she said fought for their rights.

“We must have more women in the Cabinet. We can achieve this.

“Spread the word and ensure support for PH. The coalition supports rights for women.”

6.01PM: Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir arrives at Padang Timur, as well as Selangor Menteri Besar and PKR No. 2 Mohamed Azmin Ali.

6PM: Dr Mahathir leaves the gathering.

5.53PM: Paramedics are seen attending to a rally-goer, who fainted while listening to a speech.

5.35PM: The Amanah president asked that the crowd and PH supporters make donations to cover the cost of the rally.

“It costs thousands of ringgit to organise the rally,” said Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu.

“We will have three rounds of collection throughout the event. Please donate to help us cover the cost.”

5.30PM: Bersih 2.0 secretariat Mandeep Singh said the people would not be able to punish BN in the next general election if they were not registered as voters.

“There are still 3.7 million people that have yet to register as voters. It’s no use if we continue to have demonstrations if we don’t register as voters and change the government.”

5.15PM: A lion dance performance onstage enthralls the crowd.

5.05PM: The crowd at the rally is estimated to number about 3,000.

5PM: DAP Socialist Youth national chief Wong Kah Woh, in a speech, said police’s no-go for the event to be held at Padang Timur was due to “pressure by Barisan Nasional”.

“But today, we will show them that we can assembly peacefully.”

4.50PM: The Malaysian Insight is told that 40 people from Kulai, Johor, had hired a bus to travel to Petaling Jaya, with each person paying RM35 for a round trip.

4.44PM: Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he was proud that the “red” rally comprised the rakyat, and was not a Red Shirts gathering.

He urged the people to unite in combating corruption.

“I’m proud to see a sea of red on the field that is not a gathering headed by Jamal. We have to fight corruption till the end. Unite for Malaysia’s sake,” he told the crowd.

4.43PM: Hanif, a member of Bersatu from Merbok, Kedah, said a bus was arranged to transport supporters to the rally.

He said the bus left Merbok at 8.30am, and the supporters will stay until the event ends.

4.27PM: Attendees sing Negaraku with PH leaders Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Mohamad Sabu, Lim Kit Siang and Tony Pua, who are onstage.

4.10PM: Red Shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos’ assistant confirms with The Malaysian Insight that the Sungai Besar Umno chief is still at his house in Ampang.

“It is not confirmed yet whether he will come.”

His other secretary, Durrany Izam, who was spotted at a nearby restaurant, said the same thing.

“It is not confirmed yet,” he told reporters who asked him about Jamal, before leaving the restaurant with a few of his men minutes later. – October 14, 2017.