COMMENT In a strong display of civil society solidarity to protest the unfair 13th general election, some 500,000 Malaysians have attended nine separate rallies held throughout the country over the last 15 days.

In open defiance of police warnings and threats from BN ministers, members of the public came out to express their anger against election malpractices. (See chart)

Several observations from these rallies are worth noting as being reflective of a maturing civil society.