A GROWING coalition of Malay groups is planning a gathering called “Melayu Bangkit” (Malay Uprising) to make 30 demands based on Malay rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution, said the leader.
Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz said he would be leading 15 committee members in planning the activities leading up to the gathering expected to see the participation of Malay rights groups and their thousands of members in Malaysia.
“We haven’t set the date and venue yet; that will only be discussed later tonight,” he said,
However, the event is tentatively expected to take place sometime after Hari Raya week in July.
Khairul was speaking to the media before meeting with representatives of more than 30 Malay welfare groups at the Sultan Sulaiman Club in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur tonight.
Among those in attendance were Malay right wing group Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali, and Isma and GPMS members.
“More are coming as 66 NGOs had showed interest in joining our meeting tonight,” he said.
He said the Malays feel they should add their voices to those who have been openly making demands of the government.
For example, he said, a group has been demanding that Putrajaya recognises the UEC certificate when such a move would do harm to the state of education and the Malay language in Malaysia.
He said the gathering is not meant to heat up the situation but an exercise in the Malay groups’ right to assemble as one.
Malaysia has recently seen some ugly incidents that have tested the fragile relations between the three core races – Malays, Chinese and Indians – in the country.
In Johor, a group of Malays went berserk and assaulted a car driver who had repeatedly honked at the vehicles obstructing his way during Friday prayers outside a surau. A video clip of the assault was posted on social media.
A video of a group of insulting the Malays also recently emerged on the same platforms.
“It depends on how you present it to the crowd; you can actually control the level of the ‘uprise’. I would rather have it in a controlled environment. That is why Melawati Stadium is one of the venues we have considering for the event.
“We are not trying to cause trouble; we just want to forward our demands as enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” said Khairul.
He said that as the leader, he would ensure that the event had a high level of safety and security.
As a lawyer, he said, he would make sure the event proceeded in accordance with the law.
Among the demands they are making is the empowerment of Muslim Malays and Islam, with focus on the bill to amend shariah law RUU355, the Marriage and Divorce Act, scholarship for Malays, Malay reserve land, and the defence of Malay rulers.
“We will not only be making demands but also defending our rights. What we are asking for is already there in the Federal Constitution,” said Khairul.
He said the coalition would also be studying if the 1.7 million non-Malays granted citizenship after 1957 had received it via a lawful process.
He added that the meeting tonight had nothing to do with the May 13 racial riots.
“It is the weekend. It is easy for us to gather.”
This is the second time the coalition is meeting after the first sit-down on April 26.
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT
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