Malaysia rally demanding PM's resignation enters 2nd day

Protests demanding the resignation of embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak over a financial scandal remained on the streets of the capital Sunday, after the first day of the massive rally passed peacefully.

The 34-hour protest would continue until Sunday evening, organizers told Al Jazeera. 

On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters, dressed in yellow T-shirts, had gathered at five designated areas in the Malaysian capital as part of a two-day rally organised by the activist group, Bersih. The group is calling for Najib to step down and for a series of institutional reforms they say would make the government more transparent and accountable.

The crowds were undeterred by a heavy police presence after authorities declared the rally illegal, blocked the organizer's website and banned yellow attire and the logo of Bersih, the coalition for clean and fair elections that's behind the weekend rallies.

Najib has been fighting for political survival after leaked documents in July showed he received some $700 million in his private accounts from entities linked to indebted state fund 1MDB. He later said the money was a donation from the Middle East, fired his critical deputy and four other Cabinet members as well as the attorney general investigating him.

Police estimated Saturday's crowd at 25,000, while Bersih says 200,000 participated at its peak. The demonstrators converged at five locations and marched on Saturday to areas surrounding the landmark Independence Square, where celebrations to mark Malaysia's 58th National Day will be held Monday. A surprise appearance at the demonstration by the nation's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, once Najib's patron and now his fiercest critic, thrilled the protesters. 

Scores of riot police sealed off roads leading to the square, which authorities have said is off-limits to protesters. Two previous rallies, in 2011 and 2012, were dispersed by police using tear gas and water cannons.

A nation of 30 million, Malaysia is predominantly Malay Muslim with significant Chinese and Indian minorities. Its ambitions to rise from a middle income to a developed nation this decade have been stymied by slow-paced reforms and Najib's increasing authoritarianism.

Apart from Najib's resignation, the rally is also demanding institutional reforms that will make the government more transparent and accountable.

Worried that authorities may jam communications, more than 41,000 Malaysians have downloaded FireChat — the smartphone application that allows users nearby to communicate with each other when the Internet is down and which powered last year's Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, said developer Open Garden.

Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed has warned police will take action if the rally turns violent or protesters break the law. He has said that protesters should show their unhappiness with the government at the ballot box, not in the streets.

Al Jazeera and wire services