Students rally against hikes at Putrajaya, 3 arrested

By FMT Staff

PUTRAJAYA: Three students were arrested after staging a protest outside the Putrajaya mosque over the recent price hikes on petrol, diesel and sugar.

The students were detained after submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister's Department.

According reports, some 100 students clad in black t-shirts had gathered shortly after Friday prayers and started to shout slogans denouncing the price hikes.

The police had ordered the students to disperse after the memorandum was handed over but two student leaders were arrested when they refused to leave the premises.

The third student was detained while waiting for lawyers to arrive at the police station here where the two were being held.

The detained students are Gamis leader Ahmad Shukri Razak, secretary of Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia Mohd Ridzuan Othman and student Mohd Syahruldeen Ahmad Rosli.

Those detained are being held at the Putrajaya district police headquarters where their statements were recorded.

Among others, the students had called on the government to review the subsidies given to crony companies, which they claimed amounted to RM19 billion.

They also demanded that the salaries of ministers be revised.

Speaking to reporters, Gamis president Ahmad Syazwan said the revisions would be in line with the government's aim to reduce the nation's fiscal deficit.

The student leader also slammed the government for not keeping its word on price hikes.

“Two weeks ago, a minister pledged that prices of basic goods will remain, but now we see a hike in the prices of these items,” he said.

On Nov 4, the prices of RON95 petrol and diesel were raised by 5 sen per litre. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and sugar went up by 5 sen per kg and 20 sen per kg respectively.