style="text-transform: uppercase;">Kota Kinabalu: Most of the 300-odd participants mostly youths and university students from the interior part of Kudat, Pitas, Keningau, Pensiangan and Penampang as well as the city.Before the 3pm start, the protesters carried out a flash mob at Wisma Budaya by singing national and Sabah songs.

The organisers appointed 10 to 20 young people as "Marshalls" who were placed at the frontline to ensure protesters' safety are looked after and the rally would not cause unnecessary inconveniences to public including motorists.

The protesters donned yellow Bersih shirts and red shirts for the May Day rally.

The police anti-riot team was standing at Bandaran Berjaya with their shields monitoring the rally. City Police force headed by its chief ACP M.Chandra and his men formed a blockade to prevent the rally group that has no permit from entering the town field.

Upon reaching the Padang Merdeka area, the 'Marshalls' sat down in a line while one of them was heard saying 'Bertahan, Bertahan' and the protesters behind them stood still and some sat on the road while chanting issues that they objected.

Some politicians and several leaders of Opposition parties like Penampang MP from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah Darell Leiking, Moyog Assemblyman Terrence Siambun, DAP Sabah chief cum Kota Kinabalu MP Jimmy Wong and Sri Tanjong assemblyman Chan Foong Hin were also seen in the rally.

One of the main organisers, Andrew Ambrose (Atama) approached Chandra which resulted in the rally group being given an opportunity to speak up on issues and the rally ended at 4pm.

At one point, Atama asked the protesters to be silent temporarily so as to allow the 'Azan to be heard.

After the Azan ended, Atama asked the crowd to clap to congratulate themselves for being respectful to Islam as among the religious faiths in Sabah.

A local-based NGO, Partners of Community Organisation (Pacos Trust) Sabah chief Anne Lasimbang who spoke first said the group wished to highlight their worries and fears about the future of Sabah's indigenous people that has become a minority community in Sabah as their rights are eroding with the presence of illegal immigrants.

She said the group also protested the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) that burdened the poor in the rural and remote areas who cannot afford to pay new tax structure.

She also called for stern action to be taken upon the release of the RCI report on the huge presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Sabah Save Rivers representative, Mary Giun said the affected indigenous communities at Ulu Papar are strongly protesting the proposal of building Kaiduan Dam that will destroy the natural environment to address water crisis.

She said the concerned authorities has failed to be transparent in their process and has not considered other solutions to Sabah's looming water crises and the major flaw is failing to consult the indigenous people who will be displaced if the project proceeds.

She said an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that was carried out at the proposed site was not done in transparent manner and a dialogue that was held by the Water Department has been carried out without the knowledge of the affected communities.

A group of Murut from Sook, Keningau and Pensiangan was also allowed to play their gong instruments at the rally as part of their traditional customs of the ethnic group to show sincerity of their causes they fight.

Jannie was very pleased that the peaceful rally went successfully although the number of people who came were not many as expected.

"I think today, we have proven that why we want to come for the peaceful rally…we just want to talk about issues that we are not happy with and have affected us.

"I think we have also proven that we are responsible people and we just want a space to speak and not only through the media. But I see that the rally has a lot more awareness rising from this way.

"I want to thank the police very much…and I hope they learned a lesson in the May Day rally that people will cooperate with them," she said.

Jannie said the police should respect peace assemblies as it is already in the law like in the Federal Constitution.

She hoped that the people would see the rally as part of democracy process and a part of human rights that can be expressed to get the government's attention and getting amount of media coverage to enhance awareness.