Hundreds of people clad in black began gathering at various locations in the capital this morning to participate in the opposition-led Himpunan Turun Anwar rally, a protest aimed at demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Participants first began assembling as early as 7am around the Sogo shopping complex along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
Many were seen wearing coordinated black clothing with the words “Turun Anwar” printed across their shirts, along with a cloth headband, a visible symbol of solidarity.
According to Kosmo!, despite the large crowd, the atmosphere remained calm and under control as of late morning, with dozens of police personnel stationed around the area to maintain public order.
Rally spreads across five key locations
Besides the main gathering point at Sogo, protesters also congregated at four other locations: Masjid Negara, Pasar Seni, Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad, and Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru.
According to Astro Awani, around 80 members of Unit Amal PAS, a volunteer security force affiliated with the Islamic party, were seen lining up as early as 10.45am to coordinate and assist with the crowd movement at Masjid Negara.
The rally, themed “Merayakan Demokrasi: Himpunan Turun Anwar” (Celebrating Democracy: Step Down Anwar Rally), is expected to kick off officially at 2pm with participants marching toward Dataran Merdeka.
Sabotage claims
While preparations went on smoothly overnight, tensions flared when organisers claimed that police ordered the dismantling of a stage that had already been set up early this morning.
According to them, a Deputy OCPD who had earlier agreed, in a discussion with opposition MP YB Ustaz Afnan, to allow the stage to be built, returned the next morning and reversed his stance. He allegedly ordered the team to take down the stage and even threatened to seize it.
“Our crew had been working from 3am to set up the stage after getting the green light,” an organiser posted. “Then suddenly, the same officer came and told us to remove it. What kind of democracy is this?”
PM says he supports peaceful protest
Astro Awani reported that in a statement issued through his press secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed hope that the rally would proceed peacefully and directed police to assist where necessary, in line with Madani principles of upholding democracy.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke also assured the public that all public transportation services, including KTMB and RapidKL, would operate as usual throughout the day. He also encouraged rally participants to use public transport to avoid congestion.
From URA protest to calls for Anwar’s resignation
Initially, PAS Youth had planned the rally as a protest against the Urban Renewal Act (URA), expected to be tabled in Parliament on July 31.
However, in June, organisers decided to rebrand the rally to focus on pressing Prime Minister Anwar to step down, citing various policies that allegedly do not align with public interest.
The shift in focus drew criticism from several PKR leaders, who accused PAS Youth of using public sentiment for political gain after the original anti-URA agenda failed to attract support.
As of now, no major opposition leaders have been spotted at the rally sites. All eyes are now on Dataran Merdeka as the nation waits to see whether the march will unfold as planned.
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