The rain in Kuala Lumpur falls mainly on the Ummah. Malaysian rains are on the heavy side. But they’re not so heavy that genuinely committed activists shouldn’t be able to stand up to it.
Instead, the Muslim Defenders Front proved to have something in common with a wicked witch.
The rally to defend the “sovereignty of Islam” organised by pro-Islam Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah) today ended much earlier following a heavy downpour.
The heavy rain forced organisers to end 90 minutes ahead of schedule.
The rally initially which drew an estimated 2,000 attendees to Masjid Jamek and then Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman as early as 1pm saw placards calling for Attorney General Tommy Thomas’ dismissal, and posters in support of Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
Initially rally participants were not dissuaded by the sight of darkening clouds, which began to form from 2.30pm onward. When the first drizzling raindrops began to fall, many remained in place.
However, eventually dozens could be seen running away and seeking shelter, as the rain increased in intensity by 3.05pm.
By 3.30pm, most rally-goers had dispersed, leaving only Ummah volunteers maintaining their arm-linked circle around the base of the rally stage, where they had been positioned since 1.30pm.
Gerakan Pembela Ummah means Muslim Defenders Front. But they couldn’t even figure out how to defend the Ummah against the rain.