Yellow Shirts turn out in thousands in Kuala Lumpur

Rivers of yellow flowed in downtown Kuala Lumpur yesterday as protesters demanding the resignation of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak over a corruption scandal blew vuvuzelas and chanted "Hidup rakyat" (Long live the people). Leading reformist g
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Rivers of yellow flowed in downtown Kuala Lumpur yesterday as protesters demanding the resignation of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak over a corruption scandal blew vuvuzelas and chanted "Hidup rakyat" (Long live the people).

Leading reformist group Bersih, whose colour is yellow, turned out huge crowds for the second time in 15 months to vent anger over allegations that billions of dollars were looted from Mr Najib's brainchild investment fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

Tensions in the Muslim-majority country had spiralled in recent weeks, following threats by the "Red Shirts" ethnic-Malay rightist group to disrupt the demonstration.

The march, named Bersih 5, ended peacefully in front of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers after an initial plan to assemble at Dataran Merdeka, or Independence Square, was thwarted by police.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on November 20, 2016, with the headline Yellow Shirts turn out in thousands in Kuala Lumpur. Subscribe