KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — About 100 people rallied outside Istana Negara today, asking for royal intervention in government decisions.
The protest organised by NGO Pemantau, which was initially thought to be a handover of a memorandum to the Istana, turned out to be a full-blown rally with speeches taking jabs at government leaders.
Crowds started gathering in the rain at around 8pm, with Pemantau president Datuk Lokman Noor Adam at the forefront.
Lokman then clarified that the memorandum was handed in on Monday afternoon.
“The memorandum states our dissatisfaction with the current government, how those who have insulted the royal institutions are let off easily.
“It also pleads for the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to step in and not allow the government to abuse AMLA, which has become a replacement for the ISA,” he said, referring to the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Funding and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 and the now repealed Internal Security Act (ISA).
Lokman also explained to all present why he had decided to hand over the memorandum earlier.
“If we had tried to hand it over now, the office would be closed, so we had to be slightly smarter, and handed in the memorandum two days ago,” he said, triggering applause and cheers from the crowd.
Also present was Zamil Ibrahim, a former PKR central leadership member who has since joined Umno.
During the rally, he extended a challenge to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Seri Shukri Abdull.
“Where are the files in which PKR leaders reported Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad? Dig them up. And what about the ones that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim lodged against Dr Mahathir’s children? We give you 48 hours,” he said in a speech.
“We ask for the Agong to also relook at Shukri’s appointment, because he has been acting like a ‘pondan’ and has failed as a chief commissioner.
“You want to persecute and put pressure on Barisan Nasional leaders? You think we are cowards?”
The group, which included actress and vocal BN supporter Elly Suriaty, dispersed from the Istana grounds peacefully at around 10pm under the watchful eye of police officers.
The protest comes on the heels of a slew of AMLA charges against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his lawyer Tan Sri Mohammed Shafee Abdullah.
Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was questioned today by the MACC over alleged money-laundering offences, while former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim is being investigated over similar alleged offences.
