Malaysian opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad said Wednesday that huge rallies indicate some of the ruling coalition's traditional Malay supporters are now favoring the opposition and a change of government is possible in next month's elections.
CORRECTS TYPO OF CITY NAME - Former Malaysian strongman Mahathir Mohamad smiles during an interview with Associated Press at his office in Putrajaya, Malaysia Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Mahathir says a wave of change is evident among rural ethnic Malays and a 30 percent swing from the bloc's traditional support for the government would be enough to secure the opposition victory in next month's elections. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Mahathir, Asia's longest-serving political leader until retiring after 22 years in 2003, is now leading a four-party alliance to oust scandal-tainted Prime Minister Najib Razak in the May 9 elections. Najib's ruling coalition has increasingly depended on the Malay Muslim majority in poor rural areas to retain power after urban middle-class voters flocked to the opposition in the past two elections.
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Malaysian opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad said Wednesday that huge rallies indicate some of the ruling coalition's traditional Malay supporters are now favoring the opposition and a change of government is possible in next month's elections.
Mahathir, Asia's longest-serving political leader until retiring after 22 years in 2003, is now leading a four-party alliance to oust scandal-tainted Prime Minister Najib Razak in the May 9 elections. Najib's ruling coalition has increasingly depended on the Malay Muslim majority in poor rural areas to retain power after urban middle-class voters flocked to the opposition in the past two elections.
Mahathir said the opposition wouldn't need every government supporter to change their mind. "We need maybe 30 percent of them to turn around — that would be sufficient for us to win," he said.
Mahathir said even though rural Malays underestimate the scale of the scandal, they have been hard hit by a rising cost of living due to the introduction of a 6 percent goods and services tax in 2015 to raise government revenue.
Najib's National Front coalition lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority in 2008 elections. In 2013, it secured its lowest number of parliamentary seats ever and lost the popular vote for the first time to the opposition, which Najib blamed on a "Chinese tsunami." It currently holds 132 out of 222 parliamentary seats.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the 92-year-old Mahathir said Malay support for the opposition has undergone an obvious increase, citing unusually huge turnouts at rallies.
Former Malaysian strongman Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Associated Press at his office in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Mahathir said a wave of change is evident among rural ethnic Malays and a 30 percent swing from the bloc's traditional support for the government would be enough to secure the opposition victory in next month's elections. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Mahathir said the opposition wouldn't need every government supporter to change their mind. "We need maybe 30 percent of them to turn around — that would be sufficient for us to win," he said.
Yet, Mahathir predicted only a 50-50 chance of victory for the opposition "because of the government's tendency to cheat, to threaten people, to use money, to even block the election process."
Najib, 64, has been dogged by a massive corruption scandal involving the 1MDB state investment fund, which he set up and previously led. The fund accumulated massive debt, and the U.S. and other countries are investigating possible cross-border embezzlement and money laundering. Najib himself has denied wrongdoing and has fired critics and muzzled reporting on the scandal.
Former Malaysian strongman Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Associated Press at his office in Putrajaya, Malaysia Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Mahathir says a wave of change is evident among rural ethnic Malays and a 30 percent swing from the bloc's traditional support for the government would be enough to secure the opposition victory in next month's elections. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Mahathir said even though rural Malays underestimate the scale of the scandal, they have been hard hit by a rising cost of living due to the introduction of a 6 percent goods and services tax in 2015 to raise government revenue.
"Now wherever we go, we have a huge number of people coming to us and most of them are Malays," Mahathir said of the crowds at opposition rallies. "They will come out and they will listen to the talks until the very end. They don't move, they don't go away. It shows their interest."
"I think there is a wave — whether you call it a tsunami or not, I don't know — but there certainly is a change of heart among the rural Malays," he said.
Former Malaysian strongman Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Associated Press at his office in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Mahathir said a wave of change is evident among rural ethnic Malays and a 30 percent swing from the bloc's traditional support for the government would be enough to secure the opposition victory in next month's elections. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Najib's National Front coalition lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority in 2008 elections. In 2013, it secured its lowest number of parliamentary seats ever and lost the popular vote for the first time to the opposition, which Najib blamed on a "Chinese tsunami." It currently holds 132 out of 222 parliamentary seats.
More than half of the 222 parliamentary seats at stake in next month's election are dominated by Malays, who have traditionally been strong government supporters. Malays and other indigenous groups are about two-thirds of Malaysia's people, with Chinese about a quarter and ethnic Indians and others the rest.
New electoral maps approved earlier this year were seen as benefiting Najib's coalition, and the election date itself was controversial. The midweek vote was seen as depressing turnout among Malaysia's 14.94 million eligible voters and so was hastily declared a public holiday.
"If it is a fair election, the opposition would win hands down. Such is the dislike for the present government that most people would vote for the opposition, but of course, the government has the power and the authority to abuse the system completely," Mahathir said, citing the new maps and the suspension of his nascent political party just before election was called.
In the event of an opposition victory, Mahathir warned that there could be instability if the win is small.
"With Najib, we can never be very sure that he wouldn't resort to illegal means to retain his position. So if the majority we obtain is small, he might create a problem," he said. He noted that Najib could declare an emergency in the event of violent political demonstrations.
"The opposition can protest, I suppose. They can take to the streets, but it will mean violence. It will mean a repeat of 1969 on a bigger scale perhaps. That is possible," he said, referring to bloody racial riots in 1969 that killed more than 200 people.
Former Malaysian strongman Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Associated Press at his office in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Mahathir said a wave of change is evident among rural ethnic Malays and a 30 percent swing from the bloc's traditional support for the government would be enough to secure the opposition victory in next month's elections. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Mahathir said the 1MDB scandal, which is being investigated by the U.S and several other countries for cross-border embezzlement and money laundering, has blackened Malaysia's international reputation.
The opposition will reopen investigations into 1MDB if it wins the election, he said, but denied they would be targeted at Najib.
"If it reaches the court, the court will decide, we are not going to decide," Mahathir said. "It is not a question of revenge. We are not going to take revenge on him, but the law must be respected."
The U.S. Justice Department says at least $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB by associates of Najib and is working to seize $1.7 billion allegedly taken from the fund to buy assets in the U.S.
Mahathir said he regretted not putting in place stronger checks on power when he was prime minister.
"I did not know it at the time, of course, but I regret very much that I was not able to foresee the kind of damage that can be done by a prime minister under the existing law."
If Najib retains power, Mahathir said the country would be bankrupted due to ballooning national debts that the government cannot pay.
"This country will be totally destroyed," he said.
Student protests over the Israel-Hamas war have popped up on an increasing number of college campuses following last week's arrest of more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University.
The students are calling for universities to separate themselves from any companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza — and in some cases from Israel itself.
Protests on many campuses have been orchestrated by coalitions of student groups. The groups largely act independently, though students say they’re inspired by peers at other universities.
A look at protests on campuses in recent days:
Pro-Palestinian student protesters set up a tent encampment at the Ivy League university in New York last week. Police first tried to clear the encampment on April 18, when they arrested more than 100 protesters. But the move backfired, inspiring students across the country and motivating protesters at Columbia to regroup.
University officials said Wednesday they were extending a deadline for protesters to clear out. They said the demonstrators had committed to removing a significant number of tents and agreed only students would remain at the encampment. They also agreed to ban any discriminatory language or harassing messages.
Ben Chang, a spokesperson for Columbia, said Thursday that discussions with student protesters were continuing. He said university leaders hope the talks lead demonstrators to remove the encampment, but otherwise Columbia will have to consider other options.
“We have our demands; they have theirs,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose daughter was among those arrested at Columbia last week, visited the campus Thursday, meeting with protesters. “I’m in awe of their bravery and courage,” she said in a post on X.
The University of Southern California has canceled its main stage graduation ceremony as its campus is roiled by protests. The university already canceled a commencement speech by the school’s pro-Palestinian valedictorian, citing safety concerns. The Los Angeles Police Department said more than 90 people were arrested Wednesday night for alleged trespassing during a protest at the university. One person was arrested for alleged assault with a deadly weapon.
LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz told reporters that there was an altercation, but she did not have specific details. There were no reports of injuries. The university said Wednesday it had closed campus and police would arrest people who did not leave.
Earlier in the day police removed several tents, then got into a back-and-forth tent tugging match with protesters before falling back. At one point, USC police detained a man and put him in a vehicle. A crowd surrounded the car and chanted “Let him go!” and the officers eventually did so.
The University of Texas campus was much calmer on Thursday, a day after a demonstration saw police and state troopers in riot gear and on horseback make dozens of arrests and force hundreds of students off the school’s main lawn.
On Thursday, university officials pulled back the campus barricades and allowed another demonstration involving students and some faculty on the main square underneath the school’s iconic clock tower. The group was also protesting the Wednesday arrests.
While the group was vocal with chants and angry shouts against Israel and campus leadership, the demonstration was far less volatile. No violence erupted as a small group of campus police watched from the steps of the tower building. The gathering lasted about two hours.
University President Jay Hartzell said Thursday that 26 of the 55 people arrested Wednesday had no affiliation with the university.
“I am grateful that everyone is safe after yesterday, we continue to hold in-person classes, and that today’s events followed our long-standing campus standards for allowed demonstrations,” he said in a statement.
About 50 students at George Washington University set up a tent encampment on the school’s University Yard on Thursday.
The protest at the Washington, D.C.-based school grew steadily through the morning, with demonstrators waving Palestinian flags, beating drums and chanting slogans. Later in the day, a group of Georgetown University students and professors staged their own protest walkout and marched to the George Washington campus to join the protesters there.
Despite a robust police presence on the edges of the encampment, there were no serious incidents. According to social media reports, one pro-Israeli protestor waving an Israeli flag attempted to march through the center of the protest but was led away by police.
The protestors are demanding that the university divest from all relations with Israel and lift a suspension against a prominent pro-Palestinian student group.
The university was moving law school finals, which were set to be held in a building next to the encampment, to another building because of the noise.
The university said peaceful demonstrations were permitted, however people not associated with the university were not allowed to protest on campus and overnight encampments were not allowed on university property. It said the protesters must remove tents and disperse by 7 p.m.
Trying to stay ahead of protests, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, locked most gates into its famous Harvard Yard ahead of classes Monday and limited access to those with school identification.
The school also posted signs warning against setting up tents or tables on campus without permission. Those efforts didn’t stop protesters from setting up a camp with 14 tents Wednesday, which came after a rally against the university’s suspension of the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee.
Protesters at the university in northern California used furniture, tents, chains and zip ties to block entrances to an academic and administrative building on Monday. Protesters chanted, “We are not afraid of you!” before officers in riot gear pushed into them at the building’s entrance.
University officials closed the campus through this weekend, saying instruction would continue to be remote. They said in a statement Tuesday that students had occupied a second building and three students had been arrested. On Wednesday, officials said some unidentified people who were not students were also inside one of the occupied buildings.
On Thursday, the university said protesters continued to occupy the two buildings on campus and it was making contingency plans, including possibly keeping campus closed beyond Sunday. Later in the day, faculty members met with protesters, trying to negotiate a solution.
Boston Police said Thursday that 108 people were arrested at an encampment at Emerson College. Police said four officers suffered injuries that weren’t considered life-threatening.
On Tuesday, about 80 students and other supporters occupied a busy courtyard on the downtown Boston campus. College officials warned the students on Wednesday that some of the protesters were in violation of city ordinances, including by blocking a right-of-way and fire hydrants, and violating noise laws.
The school said the alley where some protesters have set up tents is owned by the city, and Boston police have warned of imminent law enforcement action. The college said campus police were offering escort services for students after officials received credible reports of some protesters engaging in “targeted harassment and intimidation of Jewish supporters of Israel."
At New York University, an encampment set up by students swelled to hundreds of protesters earlier this week. Police on Wednesday said that 133 protesters had been taken into custody. They said all were released with summonses to appear in court on disorderly conduct charges.
Atlanta police and Georgia state troopers dismantled a camp on Emory University’s quadrangle.
University police had ordered several dozen demonstrators who set up tents early Thursday morning to leave, according to Emory spokeswoman Laura Diamond. She said in an email to The Associated Press that the group “trespassed” onto the private school.
A long line of officers surrounded the encampment of about three dozen tents as protesters chanted slogans supporting Palestinians and opposing a public safety training center being built in Atlanta. The two movements are closely entwined in Atlanta, where there has been years of “Stop Cop City” activism that has included a fringe of anarchist attacks on property and the killing by state troopers of a protester who was occupying the site.
Cheryl Elliott, Emory's vice president for public safety, said Thursday night in a statement that 28 people were arrested, including 20 members of the university community. Some had already been released.
Northwestern University changed its student code of conduct Thursday morning to bar tents on its suburban Chicago campus as student activists set up an encampment.
Groups including Jewish Voice for Peace and Educators for Justice in Palestine said the encampment on the Evanston campus was “a safe space for those who want to show their support of the Palestinian people.” The students want the university to divest from Israel, among other things.
Dozens participated as University President Michael Schill issued an email saying the university had enacted an “interim addendum” to its student code to bar tents, among other things, and warned of disciplinary actions including suspension, expulsion and criminal charges.
“The goal of this addendum is to balance the right to peacefully demonstrate with our goal to protect our community, to avoid disruptions to instruction and to ensure university operations can continue unabated,” Schilling said.
No arrests had been made by Thursday midafternoon.
Protests continued Thursday at Yale, though the number of students involved had visibly shrunk since Monday, when 48 people, including 44 students, were arrested and charged with trespassing after camping out for several days on Beinecke Plaza.
The vast majority of those arrested were charged with trespassing. Classes for the semester at the New Haven, Connecticut-based school are scheduled to end on Friday, with final exams May 2 through 8.
A few dozen protesters set up tents and occupied a building Thursday at the Fashion Institute of Technology, part of the public State University of New York system. Protesters sat on the floor or milled around, many wearing face masks and keffiyas. Other protesters outside the building held signs and Palestinian flags. They refused to speak to a reporter.
Students at The City College of New York in Harlem set up an encampment. On Thursday evening, a mix of New York police officers and campus security guards confronted protesters. But they were quickly outnumbered by protesters, who locked arms and cut off their path. The officers retreated, drawing cheers from the encampment.
Police with shields and batons shoved into a line of protesters linked arm in arm at Indiana University Bloomington on Thursday afternoon, arresting 33 people. Police made the arrests after an encampment was set up on campus.
Videos posted to social media appear to show the protest continuing after law enforcement stopped making arrests.
Tents began to appear on Michigan State University’s East Lansing campus early Thursday, with nearly 30 tents set up by late afternoon, and about 100 students gathered near the campus center, engaging in chants.
Eli Folts, an organizer who is junior at the university, said that many of the students have felt comfortable showing their faces “partially because of the police response.” He said “police liaisons” have been assigned to interact with the police officers, who have come by the encampment about every hour.
Michigan State’s new president, Kevin Guskiewicz, also stopped by the encampment earlier in the day to speak with protesters.
Police arrested one protester and tore down tents at the University of Connecticut on Thursday, after students set up an encampment.
Protesters pray at an encampment staged to support the Palestinian cause on the UCLA campus Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A sign calling attention to the conflict in Gaza rests against a tent, Thursday, April 25, 2024, at an encampment of tents on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, in Cambridge, Mass. Students at MIT set up the encampment of tents on the campus to protest what they said was MIT's failure to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to cut ties to Israel's military. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
A makeshift camp with a Pro-Palestinian theme is staged on the UCLA campus, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
George Washington University students set tents in the campus during a pro-Palestinians protests over the Israel-Gaza War, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Protesters are cuffed after being detained on the campus of Emory University during a pro-Palestinian demonstration Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A student walks to class on the campus of Emory University after a pro-Palestinian demonstration, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Georgia State Patrol officers detain a protester on the campus of Emory University during an pro-Palestinian demonstration Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A passer-by, right, walks through an encampment of tents, Thursday, April 25, 2024, on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, in Cambridge, Mass. Students at MIT set up the encampment of tents on the campus to protest what they said was MIT's failure to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to cut ties to Israel's military. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
A police officer detains a protester on the campus of Emory Univeristy during an pro-Palestinian demonstration, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Students gather for a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Thursday April 25, 2024, in Austin. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Authorities detain a protester on the campus of Emory University during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
People sit outside tents at the pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment at Columbia University in New York on Wednesday April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Student protesters hold up sheets as others pray at the pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment at Columbia University in New York on Wednesday April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Signs are displayed on tents at the pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment at Columbia University in New York on Wednesday April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Texas state troopers in riot gear try to break up a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
A woman is arrested at a pro-Palestinan protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
A Palestinian flag is displayed at the pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment at Columbia University in New York on Wednesday April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
A woman raises a fist during a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Cally, a former UT student, faces off with a mounted state trooper at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
A pro-Palestinian protester walks past pro-Israel protesters at the University of Texas Wednesday April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
A pro-Palestinian protester faces off with state troopers at the University of Texas Wednesday April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Pro-Palestinian protesters face off with mounted state troopers at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
A woman is arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Students participate in a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
State troopers try to break up a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
A woman is arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday April 24, 2024, in Austin. (Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather in front of Sproul Hall during a protest on the campus of UC Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., on Monday, April 22, 2024. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters staged a demonstration in front of Sproul Hall where they set up a tent encampment and are demanding a permanent cease-fire in the war between Israel and Gaza. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
A student protester sits among the tents erected at the pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment at Columbia University in New York, Monday April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Pro-Israeli demonstrators chant "Shame" in support of Columbia University assistant professor Shai Davidai, who was denied access to the main campus to prevent him from accessing the lawn currently occupied by pro-Palestinian student demonstrators in New York, Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather in front of Sproul Hall on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The Israel-Hamas war protests creating friction at universities across the United States escalated Tuesday as some colleges encouraged students to attend classes remotely and dozens faced charges after setting up tents on campuses and ignoring official requests to leave. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)
Student protestors erected approximately 20 tents on Parrish Beach by Clothier Hall at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pa. on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (Monica Herndon/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
University of Southern California protesters carry a tents around Alumni Park on the University of Southern California to keep security from removing them during a pro-Palestinian occupation on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
University of Southern California protesters carry a tent around Alumni Park on the University of Southern California to keep security from removing it during a pro-Palestinian occupation on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
University of Southern California protester raises an anti war sign in Alumni Park on the campus of the University of Southern California during a pro-Palestinian occupation on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
University of Southern California protesters carry a tents around Alumni Park on the campus of the University of Southern California to keep security from removing them during a pro-Palestinian occupation on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
A University of Southern California protester is detained by USC Department of Public Safety officers during a pro-Palestinian occupation at the campus' Alumni Park on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
A University of Southern California protester, right, confronts a University Public Safety officer at the campus' Alumni Park during a pro-Palestinian occupation on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
A University of Southern California protester is detained by USC Department of Public Safety officers during a pro-Palestinian occupation at the campus' Alumni Park on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
University of Southern California protesters push and shove University Public Safety officers as tempers get heated during a pro-Palestinian occupation on the University of Southern California campus Wednesday, April 24, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
University of Southern California protesters fight with University Public Safety officers as they try to remove tents at the campus' Alumni Park during a pro-Palestinian occupation on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
