In addition to speeches from Pakatan Harapan leaders, the upcoming “Love Malaysia, Eradicate Kleptocracy” will feature a range of cultural performances, film screenings, exhibitions and other events.

The rally’s deputy director, Howard Lee, said this is to give the rally a more positive atmosphere.

“From the beginning to date, the objective we hope to achieve is not just to hold a rally to demonstrate.

"That is one of the objectives, but there is an additional objective, that is to celebrate our Malaysianness; we demand the sovereignty of the people, and freedom from the existing kleptocratic government.

“To achieve the additional objectives besides demonstrating, we want a positive, carnival-like atmosphere,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

When the event kicks off at 4pm on Oct 14, there will be an exhibition for the 26 finalists of the comic-drawing competition that was launched to promote the event a month ago.

DAP youth chief Wong Kah Woh said the competition saw over 40 submissions, and the finalists will be judged by the cartoonist Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque @ Zunar (photo) and Penang Asia Comic Cultural Museum director Hew Kuan Yau.

There is also a separate and ongoing competition to see which of the 26 finalists can garner the most “likes” on the official Facebook pages of Pakatan Harapan and RoketKini. The winners of both competitions would be announced at the rally.

Lee said there will also be another exhibition to educate visitors on the 1MDB scandal. In addition, there will be traditional games and performances, film screenings, and at least 15 food trucks.

National laureate and DAP member A Samad Said will recite a poem he wrote for the occasion, which will be followed by political speeches from Harapan top guns, such as Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Lim Guan Eng, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Mohamad Sabu, and Muhyiddin Yassin.

Event in 'full compliance' of laws

To a question whether the police had given permission to hold the event, Lee (photo) said the organisers take the position that they only need to inform the police, but the police are not in a position to approve or disapprove the event.

He said the secretariat had already informed the police well in advance of the event and beyond the ten-day requirement under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, and have already met with the police.

“Short of having coffee, the conversations have been nice and frank, but we are of the view that we are in full compliance (of the law). So, all is well,” he said.

When asked whether any NGOs are invited to the rally, Lee said at least 15 invitations had been sent to separate national-level NGOs, including the Bersih coalition, the Bar Council, and Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia.

He said he would leave it to these groups to decide whether or not to respond to the invitation, when asked if any of them have said they would attend the rally.

Previously, organisers had claimed that 100,000 are expected to attend the anti-kleptocracy rally, but the lukewarm response so far had forced them into a race against time to ensure a strong turnout at the event.

Nevertheless, Lee advised members of the public to come to the Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya venue via LRT, as the surrounding roads would likely be clogged.