That level of support however was a pale shadow to last year’s rally, at which at least 5,000 people made a showing to call for free and fair elections in a normally placid Kuching.

There was a light police presence at the park, with Bersih supporters casually passing by the red and white barricade tape set up by North Kuching City Hall Friday. The entire area had been cordoned off. No reason was stated.

Rally participants held up banners and placards calling for free and fair elections as well as land rights issues.

Among those who spoke to the crowd were Bersih Sarawak vice-chairperson Ann Teo, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How of PKR, DAP special assistant Kelvin Yii and others from Parti Amanah and land rights NGOs.

Teo praised the police for having “allowed and assisted us in the use of the amphitheater” despite the city council having blocked Bersih.

She urged the state government to “rise up against the corrupted politicians in West Malaysia” and call for reform in BN. “The country’s prosperity is for all to enjoy and not for Malaysian Officer No 1, Umno or other cronies,” she said.

DAP MPs Chong Chieng Jen and Julian Tan made a last minute showing, but did not speak.

Although Sarawak Bersih did not place the 1MDB scandal as a primary reason for the rally, most speakers gravitated towards the topic.

The rally, which started at 4 pm, petered out by sunset. Bersih 5 had expected more to attend because of the number of shirts sold, close to 5,000 up to Friday.

Aside from the weather, another reason for the decreased crowd may have been that organisers never gained the blessings of local authorities for the event.

Kuching district police chief Abang Ahmad Abang Julai said the event was orderly with no untoward incidents. Several banners that were not approved were seized.