Abim: Man's hunger strike over Covid-19 demands a 'shame' to PN govt

 

Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) said the hunger strike by strategic communications consultant Nathaniel Tan in demanding the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government take five concrete actions to fight the Covid-19 pandemic is something shameful for the ruling coalition.

“Abim stresses that the country is now entering an extremely sad phase where Malaysian citizens are forced to the point of launching a hunger strike to ensure the government is listening to the rakyat’s heartfelt complaints.

“Abim thinks it is a sign of something shameful when the government still fails to act based on the demands from a rakyat to ensure we can get out of this Covid-19 pandemic,” its president Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz (above) said in a statement today.

He pointed out that there have also been many other people-driven initiatives before this, such as the Hartal Doktor Kontrak, the #Lawan protest, the MPs’ attempt to march to Parliament, the white flag campaign as well as others.

Strategic communications consultant Nathaniel Tan

Today is the fifth day since Tan started his hunger strike, which he said will go on until five demands are met. 

The five demands are:

1. For the decision-making power in Covid-19-related matters to be fully in the hands of experts, or failing that, to have a parliamentary sitting immediately.
2. To prepare RM500 million for medical equipment as hospitals treating Covid-19 patients.
3. To allow every frontliner to expose the real situation on the ground without fear of reprisal or censorship and to publish all Covid-related data without any censorship.
4. To publish the full list of companies still allowed to operate under the movement control order (MCO).
5. Free N95 masks and hand sanitisers to be provided at all hospitals and police stations.

Tan has since pitched up a tent along a walkway of a commercial block in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, where he is observing his hunger strike.

It was later reported that police personnel had visited him at his tent shortly after to quiz him about what he was doing there. 

Tan said they had reminded him to observe all Covid-19 protocols and added that they were very polite and friendly.

He said he has abstained from eating any food and only drank water, and that he is not sure how long the hunger strike would last. - Mkini