Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Amanah president Mat Sabu and many others were some of the marchers.

Cries of “reformasi” rang out from the group as they began their walk. There was a sizeable police presence to manage the crowd.

Chants of “Hidup Rakyat”, and “Daulat Tuanku” rang from the crowd of MPs, who on a number of occasions had to speak to the police to allow the march to proceed.

However, Federal Reserve Unit officers with riot shields blocked the entrance to Jalan Parlimen from Dataran Merdeka.

Earlier, Lim told the MPs and supporters at Dataran Merdeka that while the people were no longer under an emergency, they wanted to also be “free of an economic downturn and a failed government”.

“We also want to be free of a prime minister who has gone against the Federal Constitution and the constitutional monarchy system,” he said.

Lim said MPs wanted to attend Parliament to discuss the issues affecting the people and not to table a motion of no confidence.

He said while there were those who were afraid to attend the sitting because of Covid-19, MPs were more afraid for the future of the coming generation and those who lost their income due to the pandemic.

“This is why Muhyiddin should resign.”

Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman called the current administration a “morally bankrupt government”.

The government, he said, told youths not to take to the streets to protest and advised them to use the proper channels.

“Yet, the government decides to close Parliament where MPs can voice the people’s concerns.

“If this isn’t being cowardly, I don’t know what is,” he said, adding that the excuse cited to postpone the sitting – a Covid-19 outbreak – did not make sense as the positive cases were less than 1%.