KUALA LUMPUR: The "Tangkap MO1" rally ended this evening, with a lower than expected turnout in total.
More than 1,000 participants clad in black and white had earlier gathered at the check-point in Masjid Negara and Sogo before marching towards Dataran Merdeka.
The square however was cordoned off by the police as rehearsals for the National Day celebration was being held there.
This forced the organisers to park their makeshift stage in front of the Menara Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
Several student leaders were called to give their speeches to compel the authorities to identify and reveal "Malaysian Official No 1", as named in a United States Department of Justice's civil complaint.
Despite the organiser's failure to obtain a permit from the police for the rally, heavy police presence was on hand to ensure security.
The hype surrounding the Tangkap MO1 rally proved to be just that, compared to the reality on the ground.
In what was seen to be a largely uneventful and muted gathering, the event failed to fulfil their aim of drawing 5,000 participants. This happened even after the figure was revised from the original 10,000 target.
The crowd was scattered, in the absence of a clear rally point. The shift of the 'main stage' certainly did not help, as it fuelled the already confusing situation.
While the turnout at the first starting point - Sogo - was considerable, the crowd at the second starting point, Masjid Negara was slow to pick up in numbers. This was highlighted even by A. Samad Said, one of the attendees.
In the final analysis of an event so markedly different than what was expected, Tangkap MO1 was as much an exhibit of public disillusionment towards rallies as it was a testament to the students' lack of experience.