KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said today she expects the turnout for today’s final leg of the Bersih 4 rally to reach 300,000 after the police said the Merdeka countdown concert, which was scheduled for tonight, had been moved to the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

But city police chief Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa clarified with Malay Mail Online that the “Ambang Merdeka” concert was not relocated to make way for the Bersih 4 rally, but instead was moved away from the city due to “traffic considerations”.

“The concert was actually relocated because we adviced the organisers that the location would be unsuitable,” Tajuddin said.

“It’s not because of Bersih 4. It’s the traffic. This was decided ten days before the rally,” he added.

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Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah (second from left) meets Dang Wangi police chief Zainol Samah during the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur, August 30, 2015. —Picture by Saw Siow Feng
Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah (second from left) meets Dang Wangi police chief Zainol Samah during the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur, August 30, 2015. —Picture by Saw Siow Feng

After speaking to the police earlier today, Chin said she expects the crowd to grow up to 300,000 by tonight.

“I think we can have 300,000,” Chin was reported saying.

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The Bersih 4 rally, which is calling for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s resignation to pave way for institutional reform, will end by midnight.

Currently the crowd outside of Dataran Merdeka is said to number at 35,000, which is bigger than the 25,000 said to have gathered yesterday, according to police official figures.