A day after Bersih, Najib goes on city walkabout

Najib has a chat with shoppers at the front of Sogo shopping mall on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman here in Kuala Lumpur July 10 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 —Barely 24 hours after the dust settled on the Bersih rally that drew thousands against his government, Datuk Seri Najib Razak visited the centre of the capital city in a hastily-arranged tour.


Shopowners and traders along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Masjid India were abuzz with excitement this evening as the prime minister made his way from one shop to another, flanked by a large security detail of bodyguards and police officers.

A day earlier, roadblocks that ringed the city saw Kuala Lumpur reduced to a ghost town on Friday night before it descended into chaos on Saturday as tens of thousands clashed with police on the streets of the capital.

Traffic along some roads were diverted today to allow Najib conduct his rounds, as hundreds of onlookers looked on with surprise, unaware that the prime minister himself was paying them a visit. Many fought and swarmed around the man of the hour, struggling to get a glimpse of the most powerful man in the country.
“Eh itu Najib ke? Bila dia datang? Tak tahu pun kita (Is that PM Najib? When did he come? We didn’t know anything about it,” Mahmood, a restaurant owner told The Malaysian Insider.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall sweepers (DBKL) were seen frantically cleaning he streets before Najib’s arrival.
“Welcome Datuk Seri, yesterday, we could not conduct our business, was so difficult,” a female shop owner told Najib when he visited her shop, referring to yesterday’s rally.

Najib waves to the people before departing at Bazaar Masjid India July 10 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Najib did not stop by all shops, spending less than a minute in the ones he visited but made an exception for one shop — the massive Jakel textile shop where he spent half an hour speaking to people there.


Aisyah Mariam, 56, a waitress working in a restaurant along Jalan Masjid India said she was surprised with Najib’s walkabout, but was glad that he came.

“When we make our walkabouts, we won’t make any announcement, we just go to the ground,” said another woman wearing a Wanita Umno shirt.

A stall owner along the Jalan Masjid India bazaar was not impressed, cynically questioned the visit, as it was “conveniently” a day after the rally.

“Suddenly he is here... where was he yesterday? He should listen to all those who went (for the rally). He is the PM, he has to make time,” said the stall owner, who declined to be named.

Federal police estimated some 6,000 turned up for the Bersih rally that snaked through the city towards Stadium Negara where they were to press demand for free and fair elections. Despite the heavy police presence, Bersih itself estimated that 50,000 people crowded the city centre for the rally.