Students protesting for free education who have occupied Dataran Merdeka for the seventh day today said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has allowed them to set up three tents despite the scheduled royal concert for tomorrow night.
The three tents, said Bangkit Malaysia chairperson Mohd Syahid Zaini, will be to store their necessities and donations which they have received throughout the occupation at Dataran Merdeka.
“But we will make way for the royal concert tomorrow night out of respect (for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong).
“There will not be any event on Saturday. We will remain there but no tent other than the three will be set up,” Syahid said.
He said a DBKL officer had given a verbal assurance after negotiating with the students at their camp site.
“We had faxed them (DBKL) a letter to inform them of our activities so they sent people to discuss with us... We take this as permission,” he said.
The move is in contrast to DBKL’s action at the beginning of the occupation when its officers tried to forcibly remove the tents.
The concert tomorrow is to celebrate the installation of the country’s 14th Agong.
The three tents, said Bangkit Malaysia chairperson Mohd Syahid Zaini, will be to store their necessities and donations which they have received throughout the occupation at Dataran Merdeka.“But we will make way for the royal concert tomorrow night out of respect (for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong).
“There will not be any event on Saturday. We will remain there but no tent other than the three will be set up,” Syahid said.
He said a DBKL officer had given a verbal assurance after negotiating with the students at their camp site.
“We had faxed them (DBKL) a letter to inform them of our activities so they sent people to discuss with us... We take this as permission,” he said.
The move is in contrast to DBKL’s action at the beginning of the occupation when its officers tried to forcibly remove the tents.The concert tomorrow is to celebrate the installation of the country’s 14th Agong.
This comes after Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah advised the students to vacate the square for the royal concert which will take place at the same venue.
The students, Syahid said, would re-occupy Dataran Merdeka with their tents immediately after the concert ends on Sunday morning.
This is to make good on their intention to camp there until April 28, when the Bersih 3.0 sit-in protest takes place.
The students, as well as several other activist groups such as Himpunan Hijau, are expected to join forces with Bersih, which hopes to gather up to 500,000 people in over 60 cities locally and globally to demand clean and fair elections.
This is to make good on their intention to camp there until April 28, when the Bersih 3.0 sit-in protest takes place.
The students, as well as several other activist groups such as Himpunan Hijau, are expected to join forces with Bersih, which hopes to gather up to 500,000 people in over 60 cities locally and globally to demand clean and fair elections.
However, it was revealed today that DBKL has rejected Bersih’s request for its rally to be held at the iconic square.
‘Roadshow to explain occupation’
The students on Thursday were attacked by thugs who demanded that they vacate the iconic square, with eight people injured.
Condemning this, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) media officer Ahmad Shukri Kamaruddin, who is also Benteng Negara Dari Jenayah (Benar) secretary, described the act as uncivilised and called on police to investigate.
“Benar will hold a roadshow on May 10 in Kelantan to explain what the student protest at Dataran Merdeka is about,” Shukri said.
SMM secretary Adam Adli Abdul Halim said the protest suffered an estimated RM1,000 in losses during the attack as several electronic gadgets were smashed.
However, he claimed, to date the students have received close to RM7,000 in donations from the public.
Meanwhile, Occupy Dataran, a pro-democracy movement which had joined forces with the students, promised that it will be transparent with the donations.
“We will list out all the donations we receive every day for transparency,” said Occupy Dataran Merdeka activist Fahmi Reza.
Fahmi added that the activist groups are not expecting trouble on the concert night and that PAS’ Unit Amal patrol may not be necessary.
“But they may be on guard when we set up the tents again,” chipped in Adam.
‘Not purely a student movement’
The movement, Fahmi said, has yet to decide if it supports the students’ cause for free education or for PTPTN to be waived but respects the students’ right to expression.
“We don’t want to act like political parties, even some civil societies behave like that... We are not about shouting demands, we are about discussing issues to find a solution for the common good,” he said.
Fahmi added that the occupation at Dataran Merdeka should not be solely viewed as a students’ movement as Occupy Dataran has done similar actions since last year.
‘Roadshow to explain occupation’
The students on Thursday were attacked by thugs who demanded that they vacate the iconic square, with eight people injured.
Condemning this, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) media officer Ahmad Shukri Kamaruddin, who is also Benteng Negara Dari Jenayah (Benar) secretary, described the act as uncivilised and called on police to investigate.
“Benar will hold a roadshow on May 10 in Kelantan to explain what the student protest at Dataran Merdeka is about,” Shukri said.
SMM secretary Adam Adli Abdul Halim said the protest suffered an estimated RM1,000 in losses during the attack as several electronic gadgets were smashed.However, he claimed, to date the students have received close to RM7,000 in donations from the public.
Meanwhile, Occupy Dataran, a pro-democracy movement which had joined forces with the students, promised that it will be transparent with the donations.
“We will list out all the donations we receive every day for transparency,” said Occupy Dataran Merdeka activist Fahmi Reza.
Fahmi added that the activist groups are not expecting trouble on the concert night and that PAS’ Unit Amal patrol may not be necessary.
“But they may be on guard when we set up the tents again,” chipped in Adam.
‘Not purely a student movement’
The movement, Fahmi said, has yet to decide if it supports the students’ cause for free education or for PTPTN to be waived but respects the students’ right to expression.
“We don’t want to act like political parties, even some civil societies behave like that... We are not about shouting demands, we are about discussing issues to find a solution for the common good,” he said.
Fahmi added that the occupation at Dataran Merdeka should not be solely viewed as a students’ movement as Occupy Dataran has done similar actions since last year.
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