Prime Minister Najib Razak has one million more backers, as proven by the red shirt rally.

Malay NGO Coalition chairperson Jamal Md Yunos claimed that the one million people are the ones who donned red T-shirts but are unable to gather with the crowd in Kuala Lumpur which according to him, number around 300,000.

"The target of one million more who are supporting us but can't be with us is now a reality.

"There are many more who can't enter Padang Merbok because it is full. The message that the 300,000 red-shirted Malays yesterday is that they stood by the county's democracy.

"These people gave the mandate to Datuk Seri Najib (Abdul Razak) as the rightful prime minister and they are voices that supported his leadership and his leaders," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The police, however, put the attendance at yesterday’s rally at an estimated 50,000 people.

A few hundred buses were used to ferry people to several locations in Kuala Lumpur, with the final rallying point being Padang Merbok.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said the crowd will not pass Bukit Bintang and Petaling Street over fears of violence and provocation.

Protest marred by racism

However, a few hundred red shirts passed by the police barricades and pass through Bukit Bintang ( photo ) yesterday.

The Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) also had to use water cannons on protesters trying to force their way past a security cordon at Petaling Street.

The protest was also marred by racism, with one attendee recorded using racial slurs on a few reporters, including ' Cina babi ' and other names.

Najib had said that Umno did not endorse the rally, neither did it ban members from attending

The permit of the rally is at Padang Merbok and was given to the National Silat Federation (Pesaka), helmed by former Melaka chief minister and ex-Umno MP Mohd Ali Rustam.

Jamal however claimed that the rally was a success, saying those who back the prime minister have spoken.

"It couldn't be disputed. Before this, Bersih 4 said they are the people's voice but today we know the red shirt Malays are the ones who make sure that democracy is upheld.

"Our message yesterday is that we are with Najib and the bad news of 1MDB and RM 2.6 billion are lies spun by the Opposition," he said.