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Discontent with Prime Minister Najib Razak, who took office in 2009, is concentrated in urban areas, amid accusations that he cheated to win the elections and continues to hijack democratic processesIn late August and September, hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur and other cities across Malaysia to rally against or in support of the current government. Many layered elements of the protests, however, spoke of broader simmering discontent and ethnic, societal or eco- nomic imbalances.The Bersih 4 rally – following more inclusive ones in 2007, 2011 and 2012 – was a series of protests on August 29 and 30 in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, followed by similar rallies in 70 cities around the world. Organized by Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil, or the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections – shortened to Bersih (clean) – the rallies called for clean and transparent governance in Malaysia and the strengthening of parliamentary democracy.The Bersih 4 rally, however, seemed the first with a noticeable ethnic im- balance, with Chinese Malaysians and other minorities dominating the rally. Organizers said that numbers topped 200,000 yellow-clad protesters, while the police said the turnout was 25,000. Most news outlets estimated at least 100,000. The highest profile protester was 90-year-old former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who also called on the current prime minister to step down.Discontent with Prime Minister Najib Razak, who took office in 2009, is concentrated in urban areas, amid accusations that he cheated to win the elections and continues to hijack democratic processes. The main impetus for the rally were accusations of government corruption, including that Najib took almost $700 million from the state fund 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDH) for personal use. Malaysia’s anti-graft agency claims the money came as a political donation from the Middle East, but no further explanations were given. 1MDBElite+ 21