Bersih 4: Crowds march towards Dataran Merdeka

KUALA LUMPUR: The crowds at the Bersih 4 gathering points in Bangsar, Central Market, Brickfields, Masjid Negara, Sogo and Menara Maybank are marching by the hundreds and thousands towards Dataran Merdeka.

However, a police blockade has stopped the crowd from reaching the square.

The group of assembled supporters from the various checkpoints has made base at the intersection of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) and Jalan Pudu, close to the blockade, bringing traffic in the area to a near standstill.

Participants were seen chanting, waving flags and banners, singing NegaraKu and blasting air horns.

So far, no untoward incidents have occurred.

The group from Sogo Shopping Centre numbering in the thousands, included Opposition leaders like Azmin Ali, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Rafizi Ramli on a four-wheel-drive.

Before the march, leaders congratulated the people for being part of the "historic" event.

Tian Chua urged protesters to be disciplined so the rally remained peaceful and calm.

Shops that closed when the crowd started to swell, reopened for business once the crowd moved on.

The rally officially started at 2pm in designated locations throughout the city.

Notably absent are PAS supporters who came out in full force during previous Bersih rallies.

The overnight rally will continue until 11.59pm on Sunday.

The rally has been declared illegal by the police, but organisers have declared that the rally will go on as planned.

Over in KOTA KINABALU, a few hundred participants began their walk to the Likas Bay Park venue from five different locations.

Walking in an orderly fashion, the groups moved out of theiir various assembly points under the watchful eyes of police stationed at strategic locations along the Likas Bay coastal road here.

The crowds took a leisurely walk through the park as they headed to their venue.

It was a party-like atmosphere around the scenic Likas sea front as participants put up tents and mingled freely.

Sabah Bersih spokesperson Jannie Lasimbang said everything was moving smoothly.

In KUCHING, Bersih4Kuching kicked off in earnest, with thousands marching after safety briefings from four different gathering points in the city.

The gathered crowd at the Song Kheng Hai rugby pitch in Kuching.

Among the largest crowds was one led by Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen.

Hundreds of participants were seen marching from the area near Hilton Kuching and Borneo Hotel around 2.30pm.

At 3pm, yellow snake-like lines of protestors started to enter Song Kheng Hai rugby pitch, where thousands, including hundreds of police personnel, were waiting.