'You enjoy, we suffer': Ex-PMs Mahathir, Muhyiddin join 25,000 M'sians protesting Anwar in KL

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had an "interesting" day as tens of thousands of Malaysians took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur (KL) on Jul. 26 to demand his resignation.

Turun Anwar

The “Turun Anwar” protests attracted tens of thousands of protesters, many descending on Merdeka Square in central KL.

They were joined by many of Anwar’s most prominent detractors, including former PMs Mahathir Mohammad and Muhyiddin Yassin, and former MP Azmin Ali, all former allies of Anwar.

The protestors’ main complaints ostensibly centre around cost-of-living concerns and complaints about a lack of reform.

Pictures of the protest showed a mass of people at Merdeka Square, or Dataran Merdeka, before a small stage where Mahathir, Azmin Ali, and Kedah’s Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi all spoke.

The Malay Mail quoted Mahathir, who only recently celebrated his centenary, as complaining that Anwar had a tendency to enact “trial by media” rather than using legal processes.

Mahathir was quoted by MalaysiaKini as saying that Anwar had "appointed himself as a judge" and blamed Mahathir for failing to defend Malaysia's claim to Pedra Branca."

He also led the crowd in chants against Anwar, saying that people are suffering, Free Malaysia Today reported.

Attendance

Azmin criticised Anwar for lost jobs and economic suffering “in the name of justice that no longer exists”.

Several speakers complained that Anwar’s recently enacted “extraordinary tribute”, a RM100 (S$31) credit given to all Malaysians, was both insufficient and poorly targeted, as it was given to rich and poor alike.

While Parti Islam Se-Malaysia leaders promised a turnout of half a million people, Malaysian police estimated between 10,000 to 15,000 people would attend.

Malaysian media outlets like MalaysiaKini estimated a turnout of 25,000, while Harakah Daily claimed a turnout of 300,000, although Free Malaysia Today reported that a PAS leader had claimed the initial 500,000 turnout number.

But the protesters that did turn out did so despite the heat, the haze, and the rain; and after a final prayer at the end of the assembly, the crowd dispersed peacefully.

Not invited

Despite the tens of thousands in the streets, Malaysian government ministers were unperturbed.

FMT quoted Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as saying that the opposition had turned to street protests because they lacked the support in parliament to oust the government.

But where was Anwar?

The Malaysian PM was attending a debate competition earlier in the day.

When a member of the media asked him if he would be attending, Anwar merely quipped: “I was not invited”.

Top image via @CheteDofficial/X & Anwar Ibrahim/Facebook