00:00The low turnout at the Turun Anwar rally could ironically be seen as a success for the unity
00:04government as it allowed the event to proceed showcasing democratic freedom in Malaysia,
00:10says University Science Malaysia analyst Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid. Police estimated about 18,000
00:16attendees, while organizers, past youth, claimed over 200,000, far below the expected 300,000 to
00:23500,000. In contrast, the 2018 anti-ISERD rally saw over 30,000 participants.
00:30Meanwhile, James Chin of the University of Tasmania called the rally a failure, noting the absence
00:35of major NGOs and describing it as basically a perikata nasional rally. Six NGOs, Berseh,
00:43C4 Center, Ideas, Project Sama, Kusakomas, and Transparency International Malaysia denied endorsing
00:50the protest, saying their meeting with opposition leader Hamza Zainuddin was only about institutional
00:55reform. Fauzi also criticized the opposition's lack of a clear alternative to Anwar, pointing
01:01to internal divisions in PN over leadership. He also warned the unity government not to
01:06underestimate the rally's significance, especially the potential impact of disappointed
01:11non-Malay voters in future elections.
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