They waited around for almost an hour only to be told that they would not be allowed into the foundation’s compound which at the time was guarded by about a dozen police officers.

The group told reporters they were there only because they had received an invitation.

Red Shirts leader, Jamal Md Yunos, who is also Sungai Besar Umno division chief, was not there.

“We are here on Jamal’s behalf, not to cause trouble or to do something that is illegal as the Red Shirts will always uphold the law and the constitution,” said the group’s information chief Ariffin Abu Bakar.

“We received an invitation through WhatsApp, which said that all NGOs are welcomed to join the meeting which was said to be about toppling the government.

“So we want to hear Dr Mahathir’s own explanation, and tell him to fight (against the government) in a democratic manner.”

He added that the way the Red Shirts handled the situation this afternoon proved that it was not a “gangster or a bad” organisation as was alleged.

The WhatsApp message purportedly came from the new political outfit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) but according to Ariffin, his group did not receive it directly from the Mahathir-led party.

PPBM’s Supreme Council member Abu Bakar Yahya later cleared the air, saying that the meeting was only meant for volunteers of the party’s Kelantan and Terengganu chapters.

“I don’t know how the message went viral, but I’m glad everything was resolved peacefully. Jamal is an old friend, but the invite was not addressed to all NGOs,” he said.