The loud bellows of air horns filled the air over at the field as thousands, armed with umbrellas, turned up to listen to speeches by PH candidates.

All around the field, refreshment stalls were set up to sell snacks, drinks and ice cream along with vendors selling air horns.

Even as the ceramah started at 8pm, a slight drizzle started before it became a full blown rain but the crowd was unfazed.

Most brought umbrellas, raincoats and those unprepared, bought umbrellas that were on sale at PH booths near the stage.

Groups of supporters even bought flags and waved them as they stood all around the field.

Up on stage, raising his voice above the sounds of air horns, Penang state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow told the crowd to always remain calm in any situation during polling day.

Chow delivers his speech during the Mega Ceramah at the Esplanade, George Town May 7, 2018. — Picture by KE Ooi
Chow delivers his speech during the Mega Ceramah at the Esplanade, George Town May 7, 2018. — Picture by KE Ooi

“Some people may try to cause disturbances so I want all of you to remain calm and not to engage with them,” he said.

He said when PH wins Putrajaya, they wanted a smooth transition of power from Barisan Nasional.

He said PH chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had warned that the losing party may cause a commotion when results are announced on polling day.

He hoped all Malaysians will stay calm to ensure that the losing party will not be successful in causing any disturbances to destroy the peace of the country.

“After we get the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s approval to form a new government with Dr Mahathir as the prime minister, we hope the rest of the transition process will be done smoothly,” he said.

When PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar took to the stage, she said she had visited the police at the district police headquarters.

“They told me that the police are with Pakatan, this is good news because if the Air Force, the police and the teachers are with us, we will win this election,” she said.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who was the last speaker of the night, said he was very touched that despite the rain, the people still turned up.

“This is proof that the people who came to PH ceramah came on their own, using their own transport, they were not paid, they are all here because we all wanted change,” he said.

PH also passed around donation boxes and collected a total RM84,335.70 last night.

PH will hold several simultaneous finale mega ceramah on the island and mainland tonight, featuring Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.