KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — Thousands of people turned out to greet Pakatan Harapan (PH) in an overt and boisterous display of support at its Bandar Tun Razak rally here last night.
Their cheers reached fever pitch when its chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made his way to the covered stage at about 11.20pm while fireworks exploded spectacularly overhead into the night sky, rare for being dry during this monsoonal season.
Bandar Tun Razak — where his wife and former PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is contesting to be the next MP in the general election tomorrow — was his final stop after visiting Titiwangsa, Shah Alam, Kangar and Kuantan earlier in the day.
The venue, near Tapak Urban Street Dining, was packed with spectators spilling over to two adjoining streets. Cars were double-parked for at least 1km from the site.
His arrival immediately rejuvenated a crowd that had grown visibly tired after listening to several speakers for about three hours before.
“Let’s keep Bandar Tun Razak as a fortress of PH,” he called to the crowd in a voice grown hoarse from stumping nationwide for the past two weeks.
The crowd roared back their agreement.
He ended his speech and the event at midnight to chants of “Reformasi” and “Kita Boleh” — which is Malay for “reformation” and “we can do it”. The crowds were quick to leave the venue.
Before Anwar’s arrival, among those who had taken to the stage was actor Farid Kamil, who will be playing Anwar in an upcoming biopic expected to hit the big screens next year.
While waiting for the main man to show, Farid got into character as Anwar to entertain the crowds. He told them, “Don’t let the rich get richer, while the poor are left behind”, drawing cheers.
Dr Wan Azizah arrived around 11pm, but did not give a speech, even though the event host had earlier indicated that she would be.
According to Anwar’s schedule, which is posted on his Facebook page, he is set to be in Ipoh tomorrow, which is close to Tambun, the parliamentary seat he has chosen to launch his bid to be Malaysia’s 10th prime minister.
