Latest news with #PASYouth
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Cops probe ‘flogging' of PM effigy during Turun Anwar rally
Acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Usuf Jan Mohamad said the report on the incident was one of four received in relation to the rally at Dataran Merdeka. PETALING JAYA : Police are probing the reported flogging of an effigy resembling Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim near Masjid Negara during the Turun Anwar rally last Saturday. Acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Usuf Jan Mohamad said the report on the incident was one of four received in relation to the rally at Dataran Merdeka, Bernama reported. He said the case had been referred to the classified crime investigation unit in Bukit Aman for investigation under Section 41 of the Sedition Act 1948, Section 504 of the Penal Code, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today, he said the other three reports were related to the use of drones. 'The three other reports related to drones have been forwarded to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia for further action,' he said, adding that any misconduct by rally participants would be investigated by the police. About 18,000 people took part in the rally, according to police estimates, although the organisers, PAS Youth, claimed that more than 200,000 participants were present. Protesters had called for Anwar to step down as prime minister over the rising cost of living, among others. At an anti-corruption rally in Sabah last month, organised by several Universiti Malaysia Sabah students, protesters burned a caricature of the prime minister. The Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 protest saw more than 100 people call for action over the Sabah water department scandal. Police later said they were investigating the burning of the caricature under the Sedition Act 1948 and Penal Code.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Turun Anwar rally missed the point, says ex-Muda sec-gen
About 18,000 people took part in Saturday's 'Turun Anwar' rally in Kuala Lumpur, according to police, although the organisers, PAS Youth, claimed a total of more than 200,000 participants. PETALING JAYA : The opposition should have focused on credible alternatives and policy proposals in its July 26 rally instead of focusing on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's failures and demanding his resignation, says a former Muda secretary-general. Amir Hadi, now the executive director of civil society group Mandiri, said he had communicated his reservations to the organisers regarding the use of the Turun Anwar slogan. Amir Hadi. '#TurunAnwar is political. It's a message aimed at seizing power. Especially when Perikatan Nasional (PN) is known for its many manoeuvres to return to government, including efforts to topple a government without going through an election. 'This kind of approach turns people off. At least those on the fence. If you're a party member or sympathiser, of course, you'd want the government to fall. But for fence-sitters, it just looks like a rushed attempt to return to power,' he said in a Facebook post late last night. He said Malaysians might be frustrated with the current government, but were also weary of political instability that could do more harm. 'The fact is, people are sick of politicians. They may be angry at Anwar over various issues, but that doesn't mean they want him removed halfway through his term, plunging the country back into instability,' he said. Amir, who did not join the rally for the reasons given, said presenting concrete policy alternatives such as abolishing toll charges and repealing draconian laws was the strength of past oppositions. 'Even if they've failed to deliver now, back when they were the opposition, they presented solutions,' he said in a likely reference to Pakatan Harapan, which is now part of the unity government. Amir also said that questions about who PN would propose as Anwar's potential replacement were legitimate: 'And they still can't answer who will replace Anwar – even within their own ranks. So how can people trust them?' 'PN lacks direction' DAP's Liew Chin Tong also took aim at the opposition, saying PN had a significant presence in Parliament but lacked a clear leadership vision to be taken as a serious alternative. Liew Chin Tong. He said the Turun Anwar rally might have drawn a crowd, but did not capture the interest of middle-ground or non-partisan voters. 'Almost all were core supporters of PAS,' the deputy investment, trade and industry minister said in a Facebook post. He said PN could choose to be a constructive opposition, such as by cooperating on key issues like confidence and supply, as DAP did after the Sheraton Move. 'Their leaders should know that being the kind of opposition that can only manufacture outrage and anger to manipulate the people's emotions, especially among the Malays, will not bring the country anywhere,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Turun Anwar rally inappropriate, let PM complete term, says Karim
Sarawak minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the anti-Anwar Ibrahim rally did not contribute to political stability. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A senior Gabungan Parti Sarawak leader has dismissed the Turun Anwar rally which saw nearly 20,000 people descending on Dataran Merdeka yesterday, describing it as inappropriate. Sarawak minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should be given room to lead the nation until the end of his term, Dayak Daily reported. Karim said it was inappropriate to call for a leader to relinquish his duties before the end of his term, and that the rally did not contribute to political stability. 'When elections are approaching, all sorts of things happen. If he has been elected and appointed, let him complete his term in office. 'Just because of a small mistake, we should not immediately demand his resignation. That's not the right approach,' the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu information chief was quoted as saying, without elaborating what the 'mistake' was. The Turun Anwar rally held from about 11am to 5pm yesterday was organised by PAS Youth, with protesters calling for Anwar to step down as prime minister over the rising cost of living, among others. The organisers had initially hoped for 300,000 participants, while PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari claimed 500,000 protesters turned up. However, Kuala Lumpur police estimated that only 18,000 people took part in the rally.
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Saifuddin challenges PN to suggest better policies
PH secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan next week will be the opposition's best chance to show their capability as an alternative bloc. PETALING JAYA : Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has challenged the opposition to propose better policies than those being implemented by the government, downplaying the Turun Anwar rally organised by PAS Youth yesterday. Saifuddin said the Madani government has taken several measures to alleviate the burden of the rising cost of living on the people, including increasing the amount of cash aid. Now, it is time for the opposition to show what alternative policies they have in mind, he said, according to Berita Harian. 'If you disagree with the government's policies, show us the welfare policies you have in mind,' he said. 'If you think the reduction of the price of RON95 petrol by six sen isn't enough, tell us how much you would reduce it by and through what mechanism; let the people compare. 'We have our policies and programmes, but they simply resort to insults and political sentiments. We reject such gutter politics.' Saifuddin said the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan next week would be the opposition's best chance to show their capability as an alternative bloc. 'The people want to know the ideas and policies they offer, not just shouting on the streets. So, showcase your policies in Parliament, let the people evaluate them,' he said. Saifuddin, the home minister, also criticised the Turun Anwar rally's organisers after some participants brought their children with them. He pointed out that this was not permitted under the Peaceful Assembly Act, and blamed PAS Youth for not giving rally-goers a clear reminder on this.
Malaysiakini
4 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
What if protest no longer brings us together?
COMMENT | Yesterday, thousands gathered in downtown Kuala Lumpur for the 'Turun Anwar' protest, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The rally, driven by PAS Youth and endorsed by leaders of the Perikatan Nasional coalition, cited the rising cost of living and Anwar's failure to fulfil reform promises. Yet, beyond the spectacle of slogans and street presence, the event revealed a deeper tension in Malaysia's protest culture: the evolving role of ideology in shaping who protests, how, and for what purpose. In a country where protest has long carried both democratic aspirations and political risks, the rally marks a critical moment. Not because protest is new, but because its meaning is increasingly contested, shaped not only by grievance but...
