REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian police has beefed up security as thousands of protestors began to gather here on Saturday for a demonstration.

Organized by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections or Bersih, the demonstration is planned to last for two days starting from Saturday afternoon. Police said the rally was illegal and action would be taken against the organizers.

The government has prohibited people from wearing yellow- colored clothing containing the words "Bersih 4," the name of the rally, and all websites carrying reports that could undermine security and public order would be monitored by the authorities.

Five demands have been listed by the protestors, which are free and fair elections, a transparent government, the right to demonstrate, strengthening the parliamentary system and saving national economy.

Some of the protestors call for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is under pressure from allegations over fund embezzlement. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that some 700 million dollars related to 1MDB, a debt-laden state investment company, had been transferred into Najib's personal account.

Najib has denied taking any public fund for "personal gains."

The country's longest serving Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, a former mentor of Najib, has openly called on him to step down, while Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said recently in a statement that the funds deposited into Najib's account came from donors instead of 1MDB.

Mahathir and his wife Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali made a surprise visit at Dataran Merdeka where the rally was held. Asked why he came to the rally, the former prime minister said he just "wanted to see."

According to a report of Bernama, Malaysia's state news agency, Najib described the organizers and participants of Bersih 4 rally as "shallow and poor" in their patriotism.

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