The orgranisers of the #KitaLawan campaign have vowed to carry on holding mass rallies and demonstrations as long as the youth of Malaysia want to combat injustice in the country, saying that currently there is no other avenue for citizens to effectively voice their discontent.
PKR Youth chief strategist Akmal Nasir, one of #KitaLawan’s organising committee members, said at a forum on Wednesday night that many Malaysians had lost faith in the Federal Government, and until such time as their concerns can be addressed in a purely democratic manner, the street protests will continue.
“The confidence in the leadership has been lost and when we feel like this, it encourages the youth to gather and speak their mind,” he said, as quoted by The Malay Mail Online‘s Mayuri Mei Lin.
“As long as there is a demand by the youth then this culture will not stop.”
Akmal admitted that he himself was not sure how long the #KitaLawan initiative would continue to hold rallies; however, he expressed confidence that the current programme of mobilising Malaysia’s disenchanted youth would continue at least until the next General Elections, due to be held in 2018 at the latest.
Lawyers for Liberty’s Michelle Yesudas echoed PKR Youth’s stand on the matter, adding that the recent spate of arrests by the PDRM on sedition charges has caused Malaysia’s democratic space to shrink, leaving campaigns like #KitaLawan to be the only viable outlet for citizens to voice their opinions.
“There are no avenues left. So people go to the streets. Give us the opportunity to express our feelings,” she said.
“In Malaysia (the police) use social media though unsophisticated ways. Just to say one word I have to think 50 times,” Yesudas added.
The #KitaLawan campaign was kicked off following the Federal Court’s decision to uphold a conviction for sodomy on Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of the PKR, leading to his serving a five-year prison sentence beginning February 10. Many critics of the case say the charges were politically motivated.
#KitaLawan cites its goals as being securing the freedom of Anwar from prison, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak and Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar, and the abolition of the unpopular Goods and Services Tax (GST).
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