Mahathir Faces First Major Rally as Protesters Gather in Capital
- Opposition parties lead thousands of ethnic Malays in rally
- Groups voice fear of threats to Malay special privileges
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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad faced his biggest rally since taking power in May, as opposition parties led thousands of ethnic Malays in Kuala Lumpur to protest a United Nations convention against racial discrimination.
The capital was flooded with protesters dressed in white, who were bused in from around the country to assemble on Saturday afternoon. Police estimate about 55,000 people had turned up, according to Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim. He added that the rally proceeded smoothly without any untoward incident.