Participants at yesterday’s #OccupyParliament sit-in seen near Parliament in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, August 27, 2015.
The arrest of 17 university students yesterday outside Parliament for participating in the #OccupyParliament sit-in will not deter others from continuing their protest to pressure Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign from his position, says the group's coordinator Luqman Nul Hakim Zul Razali.
Luqman yesterday said the decision to continue their demonstration outside parliament tonight was made after their demands were not met despite their 30-hour sit-in that started Monday.
"Therefore we will continue the occupy parliament sit-in until our demands are met.
"This struggle will not end even though there are only two or three of us left," he said in a statement tonight.
Earlier yesterday, police obtained a three-day remand for the 17 university students who are being investigated under Section 124B of the Penal Code for “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy” and under the Peace Assembly Act 2012.
Luqman said about 10 students would be back at parliament tonight to also demand for the setting up of a transitional government and the investigation into the RM2.6 billion that went into Najib's accounts to be made public.
The students are taking turns to maintain the protest and had vowed not to leave the place until Najib stepped down.
Luqman earlier told The Malaysian Insider that they had expected the consequences of their action, but viewed it as part of their obligations to voice out opinions at a time when the country was facing economic and political challenges.
"We know our friends didn't do anything wrong, they just voice out the truth and their views."
He said the group Langkah Siswa that comprises about 30 university students was also inspired by student movements worldwide, citing the Indonesian students’ move to occupy parliament in 1998 which saw the then president Suharto resigning, the 2014 Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong and the 2006 student protests in Paris.
He said it was important to have continuous efforts to pressure the government as awareness among university students was increasing day by day.
"Maybe what we do is viewed as a fantasy to demand that Najib resign but we will continue with our demands.
"University students have the awareness but they still do not dare to act.
"Now we have many university students who try to speak up and that's why this effort must continue, even though the numbers are small," he said adding that they would rearrange their plans when semester starts next month to ensure their efforts will continue.
- TMI
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