After years of street demonstrations against everything from the Internal Security Act (ISA), alleged electoral fraud, and most recently price hikes and curbs on press freedoms, it seems the government is gradually coming to terms with the fact that mass protest is part and parcel of the Malaysian experience.
Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan of UMNO and BN acknowledged the inevitability of protest culture in Malaysia, culminating in the KL police and and City Hall allowed the #Turun rally on New Year’s Eve to proceed without much incident.
“At the moment, it’s only (the) opposition. But soon, you’ll have all kinds of groups; they will take it to the streets,” Abdul Rahman told The Malay Mail Online.
The #Turun rally was organized by several student movements, but was supported by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition. A separate rally was also held in KL on January 4 to call for more press freedom, and to protest the suspension of the weekly publication The Heat.
Dr Lim Teck Ghee, director of the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI), opines that online connectivity has enabled and emboldened Malaysian youth to take to the streets.
“There is a more politically conscious and critical younger generation able to mobilise quickly through the new social media and less fearful of the government’s warnings, threats or even hostile actions,” Lim said.
As of July 2013, there are some 13.3 million Facebook users in Malaysia, the majority of whom are in the 18-to-34 age group.
Photo: This Is Kuala Lumpur.
Source: The Malay Mail Online
