KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — An estimated 18,000 people gathered in the capital today for the Opposition-led “Turun Anwar” rally, where Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders criticised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership and called for him to step down.
Held at Dataran Merdeka in downtown Kuala Lumpur, the rally drew supporters from across the country, many dressed in party colours or black and carrying placards voicing discontent with the current administration.
Among the speakers were Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, former prime ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, PN information chief Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau.
In his speech, Sanusi accused the prime minister of failing to follow through on promises of reform.
“He promised reform but did the opposite. Everything he said he would do — he didn’t,” he said, adding that public trust had been eroded.
Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, once a close political ally of Anwar, said the Reformasi movement no longer reflected the ideals it once championed.
“Thousands once rallied behind him shouting ‘Reformasi’. Now, people are losing their jobs, suffering — all in the name of justice that no longer exists,” he said.
He added that the government needed to take urgent steps to address public dissatisfaction.
“If support brought him to power, that support can also be withdrawn,” he said.
Dr Mahathir criticised what he described as a tendency to make public judgments about political opponents.
“Legal matters should go through the courts. We should not see trial by media — it undermines democratic principles,” he said.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the RM100 cash aid announced by the government.
“Even high-income groups received it. The money could be better used to help those who truly need it,” he said.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin said rising costs of living had made life difficult for many Malaysians, and argued that the government’s financial aid policies needed to be better targeted.
“I used to work closely with Anwar, but I cannot ignore what people are experiencing,” he said.
Gerakan president Dominic Lau questioned the cost of the prime minister’s international travel.
“In eight months, he visited over 30 countries. Each trip costs half a million ringgit, where’s the return on investment?” he asked.
“People want action, not photo ops.”
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin led the crowd in chants urging change, saying there was growing frustration among Malaysians.
“RM100 is not enough. We don’t want cash handouts,” he said.
Despite earlier warnings from the authorities, the rally proceeded peacefully. Police maintained a visible but non-confrontational presence.
Organisers maintained they were exercising their constitutional right to assemble and said the turnout — potentially among the largest since the 2018 general election — signalled rising dissatisfaction with the current government.
“We gathered peacefully, and we hope our message is heard,” one organiser said.
