TV PAKATAN RAKYAT

Some 50,000, mostly dressed in black, have packed the Stadium MBPJ while thousands others are trying to get in for a rally for free and fair elections organised by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Stadium MBPJ in Kelana Jaya near here tonight. The evening shower caused traffic congestion but most of the crowd dropped off at the Kelana Jaya LRT station and walked to the stadium near the Subang Airport road. Among those speaking at the rally are opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang. Anwar arrived after 10pm on a scooter and was greeted with loud roars that echoed through the stadium by the crowd who chanted "Kami Anak Malaysia". Thousands dressed in black have packed the stands and also the football pitch in the stadium. "This is the beginning of a battle between the rakyat and an illegitimate, corrupt, and arrogant government," the PKR de facto leader told the crowd. Traffic remains backed up around Kelana Jaya right up to the NPE toll plaza near Sunway. Earlier, PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told the 50,000-odd crowd inside the stadium, "I am Malay, but I support Pakatan Rakyat."

Social media research group Politweet.org estimated the crowd size in and around the stadium at between 64,000 and 69,000, given that the stadium capacity is about 25,000. There has been no police presence around the stadium until now. In Marang, Terengganu, thousands are crowding PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's Masjid Rusila for another rally, reports PAS news portal Harakahdaily. Among those there are ex-Umno Selangor mentri besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, whose defection to PAS had been one of the surprises in Election 2013. In Singapore, the Singapore Straits Times reported tonight that a group of over 200 Malaysians gathered at the Merlion Park to protest against what they claimed were rigged elections over the weekend.

Dressed mostly in black, they were holding placards, with phrases such as "We Want Bersih (clean)" and "No To Racism". One, translated from Mandarin, read: "We Are One Family". The crowd appeared to be peaceful, with chants erupting occasionally.

Participants told The Straits Times that the message for the gathering was spread spontaneously on Wednesday through social media. Many of them were not aware who started the protest, but said they received calls or messages from their friends, and decided to be a part of the event. Polls watchdog Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said also attended the mass rally. Samad, who was dressed in black, recited a poem titled “Tipu segala tipu” (The lie of all lies) that drew cries of “Ubah!” (Change) from the crowd. Ambiga did not give a speech but rallied the crowd to shout, “Long live Bersih. Long live the rakyat. We will clean up!” Thousands of people cried out, “Tipu SPR!” (SPR are liars), referring to the Election Commission (EC) by its Malay acronym, as PR leaders railed against widespread reports of electoral fraud in Election 2013. Bersih has refused to recognise the BN government until it verified reports of vote-rigging in the country’s hottest election in history. ~themalaysianinsider.com~