Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Oct 14, 2017 (AFP) - Thousandsof Malaysian protesters demonstrated today against scandal-hitPrime Minister Najib Razak as political tensions rise ahead ofan election expected within months.
Led by opposition politicians from the Pakatan Harapancoalition, or Pact of Hope, the carnival-like rally was thelatest outburst of anger linked to claims that huge amounts ofmoney were looted from a state investment fund set up byNajib.
Both Najib and the fund, 1MDB, deny wrongdoing.
Speaking in a field in the city of Petaling Jaya, some10km from Kuala Lumpur, the country's former prime ministerMahathir Mohamad said it was time for Malaysians to vote outNajib's Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
"We can bring down Najib only by (voting) PakatanHarapan," he said in a speech, addressing a crowd clad inmostly red T-shirts, a color similarly worn by members ofMahathir's Bersatu party.
Protesters were heard chanting "Reformasi"("Reformation"), "Long live the people", and "Down with BN"during the eight-hour-long rally, which organisers claimedsome 25,000 people showed up for.
Police did not immediately respond to requests for anestimate on the figure, but an AFP reporter said thereappeared to be at most several thousand.
Malaysia's opposition is set to contest Malaysia'selections --which are due in 2018-- against Najib's powerfulBarisan Nasional coalition, which has never lost an election.
Mahathir recently stepped out of retirement in politicsto form his own party, and joined the opposition alliance in abid to unseat Najib at the elections. (AFP)EMY.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.