But those in tune with Malay sentiments say it should not be taken lightly given that its organisers comprise Malay NGOs led by the Malay intelligentsia who included Muafakat president Ismail Mina Ahmad, an elderly ulama personality and a former ally of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The group handed over a petition on the economic hardship of the people, declared loyalty to the Malay Rulers and blasted the government’s inadequacy in addressing the needs of the B40.
"The protest centred around economic issues like the costs of living but the underlying message is that the Malays are not with the ruling coalition. There is still a lot of distrust among them about the unity government," said Akhramsyah Sanusi of GEM or the Malaysian Economic Movement.
The Prime Minister has a solid two-thirds majority in parliament but he will continue to face this sort of provocation from Malay groups. He has gone the distance on Malay issues, yet the Malays have yet to find that familiar centre of gravity to make them feel secure and in charge.
A major reason is that the two Malay partners, Umno and Amanah, have failed to sway Malay support. Both have been eclipsed by other Malay groups.
Pakatan Harapan had high expectations of Umno but it has been running on the spot.
Some Umno members were mortified to watch the squabble over local council posts in Selangor. The Selangor Umno leadership, insulted at getting only 20 of 288 local council posts, rejected what they regarded as crumbs from the table and is demanding all of the JKKK positions.
It was a painful instance of how far Umno has fallen after being wiped out in Selangor in the general election and winning only two seats in the state polls.
Morale in its women’s wing, once touted as the backbone of Umno, is at an all-time low. Some said that Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad who was made a deputy minister in the recent Cabinet reshuffle should have rejected the appointment if she had any self-respect.
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh is only a state exco member in Melaka but, fortunately, he shines and is able to lend his voice on issues that matter to the wing.
It also does not help that Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan are not on the same page.
"The feud between them is no longer a secret, it is very deep," said an aide to a Johor politician.
Mohamad’s transfer to the Foreign Ministry was seen as a "demotion". Vice-president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin who was "promoted" from Higher Education Minister to Defence Minister is perceived as the preferred successor of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"Khaled has been the talk of the party the last few weeks. They think he is part of the president’s masterplan," said the above political aide.
Khaled was a rising star until Johor, then under his leadership as Mentri Besar, fell in the 2018 general election that saw him losing both his state and parliament seats. He then sought a safer seat in Kota Tinggi in the last general election but was unable to shake off the "loser" label.
However, a Putrajaya official found Khaled to be like "an uncle whom you can talk to".
He is reserved, has no visible social skills and does not seem overly ambitious which makes him less of a threat to other politicians.
The reason why Khaled has become somewhat of an issue is because no living soul in Umno believes he has what it takes to win back the Malays or melt the hearts of young Malays.
Nevertheless, Ahmad Zahid is comfortable with Khaled whereas the other vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Ghani is a looming threat. Johari has the economic knowhow, he is charismatic and makes no pretence about wanting to move up.
Ahmad Zahid has been meeting members at the division level in his Jelajah Akar Umbi tour. At almost every stop, he is asked how the party plans to win back the young Malays.
The mood in the party is that Umno is doomed without the support of young Malays and no one in the current Umno leadership has the youth X-factor. The younger set in Umno now say Ahmad Zahid did the party a huge disfavour in sacking Khairy.
They think the party needs someone like Khairy Jamaluddin who can connect with Gen Z and is able to impress urban, middle-class Malays that Umno is not made up of yes-men and mediocre leaders.
Khairy’s Keluar Sekejap podcast has opened a window into the way he thinks. They can see he is genuinely clever, eloquent, has real opinions and was an exceptional minister.
But the former Umno Youth chief is a long way from home. Even those who wish he could return to Umno know it is not possible as long as Ahmad Zahid is in charge.
Party members, said the above political aide, know who is the albatross around their neck or as the Malays put it, the "biawak hidup" on their back but they dare not say it out loud.
Umno has been described in so many demeaning ways in the last one year - half dead, on life support, a Titanic heading towards an iceberg.
It used to be the voice of the Malays but it has lost that position to Perikatan Nasional and it is being outplayed by groups like the Malay NGOs who demonstrated outside the palace earlier this week.
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