Malaysia Protests Calling for Najib Razak to Resign Enter Second Day

Some people in the 34-hour protest had slept in the streets overnight in an unusually calm demonstration of public outrage by the group Bersih, which means “clean” in Malay, and is a coalition of non-governmental organizations, according to the Associated Press news agency.

This is the fourth demonstration by the group and previous attempts have been met with arrests and tear gas. But as of Sunday, the authorities said nobody was in detention and police at the front of the rally stood behind railings looking bored.

Najib is facing calls to resign after reports that he pocketed nearly $700m (£456m) from the debt-laden state fund 1 Malaysia Development Bhd.

1MDB was launched in 2009 by Najib, who still chairs its advisory board. Critics say he has been opaque in explaining its dealings. Cabinet ministers later tried to explain that the money was political “donations” from people in the Middle East but the muddied reasoning has only served to further enrage Malaysians.

The government has said the protests are illegal and also gone as far as banning anyone wearing yellow clothing – the signature color of Bersih – or handing out printed material linked to it. The group’s website has been blocked.

The protest is due to end on Sunday at midnight. It is an expression of anger against what the group calls “one of the greatest multibillion-dollar corruption scandals in Malaysia’s history and the government’s most oppressive crackdowns on free speech”.

The prime minister says he is innocent of allegations that he has taken money.

Yet he has sacked four ministers, his attorney general and deputy prime minister in an attempt to disarm his critics. A crackdown on dissent has also seen the blocking of two newspapers and a British-based whistleblowing website run by the sister-in-law of the former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The botched attempt to stifle expression has only further angered Malaysians, who have also suffered the implementation of a goods and services tax this year as well as a devaluation in the local ringgit currency to a 17-year-low.

Bersih said there were 200,000 protesters at the rally’s peak although the police disputed the number. People were still arriving on Sunday morning.

Najib’s patience could run thin on Sunday as the protest is located right on the edge of Merdeka (Independence) Square, where National Day celebrations are due to be held.

“We want to celebrate, independence, there are some people who want to show their feelings at the historic place in Merdeka Square,” he said.

Bersih organizers have asked people not to try to breach police lines. They say they have more than a thousand trained crowd managers to be present and organizers clearly marked, as well as professional medics, to avoid chaos.

The group said in a statement: “We have spoken with the police. We have reminded them of their obligations under law and their previous failings.”