Thousands of Malaysians move into central Kuala Lumpur calling for the government to address multi-million dollar financial scandal

Malaysians are staging protests calling for the resignation of the prime minister, Najib Razak, who is battling the fallout from a damning financial scandal.

The government was quick to condemn the weekend-long rallies, calling them illegal and blocking the website of the organisers, a coalition of non-governmental organisations.

This is the fourth demonstration by Bersih, which means “clean” in Malay, and is expected to be the largest. It is scheduled to last 34 hours from Saturday through to Sunday, to protest about what the group calls “one of the greatest multi-billion dollar corruption scandals in Malaysia’s history and the government’s most oppressive crackdowns on free speech”.

The security presence in the capital Kuala Lumur was increased on Saturday morning. The yellow Bersih T-shirts have also been banned but video posted online on Friday night showed many wearing them at a minor rally of the outskirts of the capital.

Najib is facing calls to resign after reports that he pocketed nearly $700m (£456m) from the debt-laden state fund 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

AI Malaysia (@AmnestyMy) 11am Kelana Jaya lrt alrdy congested. Situation calm. Rakyat enthusiastic. Many faces glued2 phones. #Bersih4 pic.twitter.com/v3K3hfwHig

1MDB was launched in 2009 by Najib, who still chairs its advisory board. Critics say he has been opaque in explaining its dealings. Cabinet ministers later tried to explain that the money was political “donations” from people in the Middle East but the muddied reasoning has only served to further enrage Malaysians.

Organisers say Saturday’s protests, the fourth since 2007, are expected to be much larger due to Najib’s botched response to the allegations.

The premier has insisted he is innocent of any charges that he has taken money. He has sacked four ministers, his attorney general and deputy prime minister in a bid to disarm his critics. A crackdown on dissent has also seen the blocking of two newspapers suspended and a British-based whistleblowing website that is run by Gordon Brown’s sister-in-law.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced on Thursday that it would block websites that “promote, spread information and encourage people to join the Bersih 4 demonstration”.

A government gazette signed by home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi banned “any yellow coloured clothing and which contains the words Bersih 4” and “any other printed material and pamphlet which leads to Bersih 4 rally”.

A festival atmosphere prevailed as protests began on Saturday. People in yellow clothes listen to prayers by organisers and a speech by imprisoned opposition politician Anwar Ibrahim’s wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who stood on a pick-up truck with four megaphones fitted to the top.

Vendors were selling yellow Bersih scarves and the Guy Fawkes masks made popular by the Anonymous movement. Many people had helium balloons of Minions, characters from the feature film of the same name, as they are coloured yellow.



Others carried gas masks or protective eyewear, in preparation for teargas and water cannon, amid fears the protests could descend into violence. The military has promised to intervene if the government declares a state of emergency. In the past teargas and arrests have been used to quell the crowds.

The three previous rallies were only held for half a day and the length of the weekend’s rally has angered authorities, especially as it is planned to take place in similar areas of Kuala Lumpur where National Day celebrations are scheduled for Monday.

The prime minister’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (Unmo), has been in power coalitions since 1957 in the elective monarchy.

But pressure if growing. An implementation of a goods and services tax this year as well as a devaluation in the local Ringgit currency have further deepened the outrage.

And Najib’s former mentor and ally, Mahathir Mohamad, has called for a vote of no-confidence against Najib, accusing him of halting an investigation into corruption and buying politicians.

As Malaysia’s founding father and former leader of 22 years, Mahathir commands respect in the country. Najib says the request is “political sabotage”.

MiLo SuaM (@milosuam) Good Morning Malaysia, World is Watching you... #Bersih4 pic.twitter.com/e6dQAPYceR

The Bersih movement says it is a non-partisan group but it says that the actions of the prime minister “is morally wrong, as the government will be beholden to the donors”.

“When the prime minister ignored our demands and instead took steps to stifle the investigation, we asked him to resign,” it said, adding that all political parties had been invited the the weekend of protests and non-violence was urged.

Bersih says it has gone to great lengths to avoid chaos, with more than a thousand trained crowd managers to be present and organisers clearly marked, as well as professional medics.

“We have spoken with the police. We have reminded them of their obligations under law and their previous failings,” Bersih said.

It gave advice on its website about what protesters should do if tear-gassed or attacked with a water cannon, and to call a lawyer if arrested. “The police can only detain you for 24 hours. A magistrate must approve longer detention,” the group said. “You are allowed two baths a day, medical attention and food/water.”

Gooi Hsiao Leung, an MP from Alorsetar in north west Malaysia, said he had attended three Bersih protests. He is a member of imprisoned leader Anwar Ibrahim’s People’s Justice party.



“Many Malaysians today are outraged with what is happening in Malaysia

– the rampant corruption and abuse of power,” he told the Guardian in central Kuala Lumpur, surrounded by thousands of protesters in yellow shirts at one of the five meeting points in the capital.



Demonstrators were planning to converge at Merdeka (independence) Square

although organisers asked people not to try to breach police lines.



“We are also very unhappy with the severe state of gerrymandering,” Gooi said, referring to the ruling party.



“We are here to say ‘enough is enough’. We want to save Malaysia,” he

said, adding that the cost of living had dramatically increased.