Youth movement to hold nationwide tour on PM’s ‘failures’

 

The movement’s spokesman, Syahmi Shamsudin (centre), says the nationwide tour will be held in lieu of the planned protest today.

KUALA LUMPUR: A youth movement pushing for good governance will hold a nationwide tour to protest issues and scandals that they say Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration has failed to address.

Gerakan Tolak Kerajaan Gagal said the campaign was in lieu of the planned protest initially scheduled to be held at the city centre today.

The secretariat’s spokesman, Syahmi Shamsudin, said the movement, which comprises 10 organisations and NGOs, would hold talks and protests to urge the public to reject the current government.

“The ‘tour’ will highlight that the current leader fits the description of a ‘bad leader’, as characterised by the late Syed Hussein Al-Attas,” he said at a press conference, referring to one of Malaysia’s renowned intellectuals.

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The movement, he added, planned to highlight at least 30 issues that arose under Ismail’s government — which celebrates its first year anniversary tomorrow — including inflation, the lack of employment opportunities, price hikes and exorbitant house prices.

The tour will also touch on controversies surrounding the littoral combat ship project, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Azam Baki’s alleged extensive ownership of corporate stock; allegations of police links to a “troll farm” and personal data leakages.

The troll farm refers to a network of fake Facebook and Instagram accounts and pages that allegedly tried to boost support for the government and run down the opposition.

Syahmi said the movement was in the midst of planning the nationwide tour.

Commenting on the change of strategy, Muda secretary-general Amir Abd Hadi said it was best for them to mobilise the campaign nationwide.

“Malaysians are not just in the city. The issues that we want to highlight are important to those in rural areas, too,” he said, adding that the campaign must feel “nationalistic”.

Amir said the campaign was not limited to only opposition parties but to everyone, including supporters of pro-government parties who reject Ismail. - FMT