AKIPRESS.COM - At a night market north of the Malaysian capital, Ezat Nasir paced up and down as he awaited the arrival of anti-government activists. An avowed supporter of Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ruling party, his job was to scare the group away, Bloombergreported.

Campaigners with the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections drove past the bazaar -- bustling with families enjoying a balmy Saturday evening -- and left the township of Bukit Sentosa without stopping to distribute leaflets. "Sorry, due to security reason," a member of the convoy texted Bloomberg News.

Saturday sees the first major anti-government rally in over a year organized by the group, known as Bersih, in Kuala Lumpur. Last year it said 300,000 people turned out, calling for Najib to resign over a funding scandal. But most protesters were ethnic Chinese, rather than the Malays who are Najib’s power base. Bersih’s goal with its visits to small towns had been to try and reach those Malay voters in what is a predominantly Islamic country.

"This is my town and I’m going to defend it against Bersih," said Ezat, who had to deliver a report to people he did not name on what his group -- which he said numbered as many as 150 men -- did to deter the activists. "Bersih is trying to topple the government, and that’s not right. If they want a change in government, do it democratically on election day."