KUALA LUMPUR – A stage erected at Dataran Merdeka for the “Turun Anwar” rally was taken down early Saturday after authorities found it had been built without approval and failed to meet safety standards.
Acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Mohamed Uuf Jan Mohamad said the structure was not included in the organisers’ original request and lacked both safety guarantees and proper authorisation from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
“In the initial discussions between police and the organisers, it was agreed that only two four-wheel drive vehicles would be used as platforms. The stage that was set up posed safety risks, and there was no clear information on how many individuals would be on it,” he said in a statement.
PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden, however, accused the authorities of backtracking.
“Yesterday, we discussed and were told the stage could go up. We were still talking at 3.30am. Then they told us to take everything down,” he said in a Facebook video.
“We’ll stick to using the Hilux and carry on with the rally.”
The issue has since triggered debate online, with critics questioning whether the Perikatan Nasional (PN)-led event still qualified as a protest.
“If a ‘demonstration’ includes stage setups, sound systems, food trucks, and clothing booths – that’s no longer a demonstration, it’s a carnival,” one user, Aai Nadzahar, wrote.
“And if you’re organising a carnival, you do need a permit — including from the local authorities — just like everyone else. Don’t go blaming the police or PMX.”
Another social media user, Norbyti Ahmad, questioned the organisers’ grasp of basic procedures: “How are you planning to run a government when you don’t even understand your own local by-laws? If this is how it starts, imagine how many more laws you’ll break if you’re in power.”
“This isn’t fear of PMX. You want to be lawmakers but can’t follow the law yourselves. No permit for the stage, then play victim? Don’t be so ignorant,” Facebook user Azly Anwar commented on PN’s video.
Meanwhile, rally participants began gathering around Dataran Merdeka, with marchers moving in from Masjid Jamek and Sogo shopping centre. Most were dressed in black, carrying banners and waving the Jalur Gemilang as they chanted for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s resignation.
Four main assembly points had been identified ahead of the protest: Sogo Complex, Masjid Negara, Pasar Seni, Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad, and Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru.
Police estimated that 10,000 to 15,000 people were expected to take part in the rally. – July 26, 2025