KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 — A sudden drizzle took the thunder out of an anti-ICERD demonstration today as organisers decided to cut the protest short by an hour.
The moment it started raining, the organisers actually pleaded with the demonstrators, asking everyone to remain calm and stay for another five minutes.
“Please remain calm and don’t leave yet. Just for another five minutes. We are going to take an anti-ICERD declaration and oath (ikrar),” said the rally’s unnamed emcee.
Many of the protesters took heed of the emcee’s request, but others continued to head out of Dataran Merdeka.
Earlier, hundreds of protesters seemed to be leaving the rally against the United Nations treaty, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), at Dataran Merdeka as the skies darkened and the sound of thunder threatened rain.
One of the demonstrators, 39-year-old Saiful Azit, told the Malay Mail that he brought his wife and two children along and did not want his little ones to get drenched or sick.
“My family are here to support against ICERD. We are here to also show our gratitude to the government for not ratifying the convention.
“But I don’t want my children to get sick if they are caught in a rainstorm,” Saiful said gesturing to his 11-year-old son Shamsul and 12-year-old daughter Shamsiah.
The Subang native said he was headed to the Central Market train station to head home.
