Stick to your guns, it will pay off, young activists told

 

Zahir Hassan surrounded by Federal Reserve Unit police during a protest in front of KLCC in 2006. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Youth-led movements like #Lawan, Hartal Doktor Kontrak and Bendera Hitam are getting support from their older brethren, with veteran activists from the Reformasi era encouraging them to stick to their guns and prepare for resistance from the authorities.

In the last few days, youth leaders have been called up by police for their roles in Sunday’s #Lawan demonstration, held to protest the government’s failure in managing the health and economic crises.

A few weeks earlier, junior doctors staged a walkout and were threatened with disciplinary action over the protest, which came after their demands for better career prospects and perks were not addressed.

Zahir Hassan, who began his life as an activist after then-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim was sacked in 1998, warned that maintaining the stamina to continue the fight for change could be difficult, adding that he had seen many lose their mettle.

“You must have strong principles and hold onto your ideals,” he said. “Without these, you lose your energy and drive. I’ve seen people get distracted and fall short.”

Zahir is now PKR Federal Territories chief.

The advent of social media has made large-scale resistance much easier to coordinate, he said, reflecting on how ceramahs from his time would be lucky to attract 10,000 attendees.

“Now, if you’re somebody of influence and you have 100,000 followers online, that’s a huge audience you can broadcast your message to.”

Abdul Razak Ismail, the secretary of Otai Reformis, said the various protests had been good early moves to “shake the government”, but he added that youths needed to mobilise in greater numbers to become impossible to ignore. This could come through engagement with the youth wings of political parties, he said.

“Unless and until they are able to attract support numbering in the millions, I have my doubts about how much change they can make to the current political landscape.”

Razak, having witnessed the intimidation tactics once used against political dissidents, said the investigation papers opened against those involved in the #Lawan rally are “very mild” compared to the detention and physical violence faced by activists of his generation.

He said there was much to be learned from veterans and that engaging with people from his era could be a valuable experience for youth activists.

On the consequences faced by protestors today, Zahir said these were “part and parcel of the struggle,” adding that while there had never been a political uprising anywhere in the world that had come easy, the pain would ultimately pay off.

“There are always those who face consequences from those in power, but movements need people who are willing to take risks and face the trouble,” he said.

“There is no struggle without sacrifice. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, those fronting demonstrations would sometimes get arrested or detained under the Internal Security Act.

“When people see that protesters are willing to face that, it shows how serious they are and it brings more people into the movement.” - FMT