Gabungan Kuasa Rakyat committee members (from left) Raja Annuar Adnan, Michelle Foo, Fathul Farisan, Haizal Yatiran, Hasnah Abd Rahman and Syahid held a town hall meeting on Himpunan 220220 rally in Wisma MCA January 11, 2020. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — An informal coalition of pro-Opposition NGOs and grassroots activists will protest in the city on February 22, to pressure the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to heed their demands.

The coalition, Gabungan Kuasa Rakyat (GRK) involves six NGOs including SEDAR Malaysia, BeNAR Malaysia, SolMar Malaysia, Optimum, and KADER, is aiming at attracting at least 2,200 participants to the rally called #Himpunan220220.

SEDAR chairman Nazrin Norani said the rally will start with a gathering at the Masjid Jamek LRT station by 9am on the day.

“After that we will slowly march to the entrance of the SOGO shopping centre along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, where the rally will continue up to 4.30pm,” he said after the GRK town hall session at Wisma MCA this afternoon.

Nazrin said the appropriate public gathering permits will be applied with the police, within the next few days.

“In the few days leading up to the February 22 rally, GRK will conduct several events including forums, town hall sessions, and even try to aim for a nationwide flash mob.

“The objective is to encourage people to come out of their comfort zone instead of hiding behind the anonymity of a screen and keyboard. In particular, we hope to attract individual activists or social media influencers in participating, so that word can go round swiftly,” he said.

The funds to organise the rally will be solely derived from public donations, and not from any organisation or political parties.

“We want at least 2,200 people joining in, since the number is symbolic with the date of February 22, 2020,” Nazrin said.

The demands by the coalition, which were elaborated upon during the town hall session today, includes the PH government taking responsibility for its failure to administer the country properly by having prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Cabinet resign immediately.

“We are also demanding the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s chief as well as the Attorney-General resign as part of the move towards institutional reforms and to ensure their successors will be free from political influence.

“Issues surrounding race, religion, and royalty must also be resolved in the best manner possible since the situation in Malaysia has become very tense in the period since PH took over,” he said.

Other demands include equal fiscal allocations for MPs and assemblymen, regardless of political affiliation.

“Insufficient allocations will only serve to bring hardship upon a seat’s constituents due to lack of development, and further encourages the habit of ship-jumping from party to party.

“Likewise, since PH began its administration, diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, China, and India have worsened, in turn affecting our palm oil exports and the Haj pilgrimage quota. This has to stop,” Nazrin said.

Ultimately, he said GRK’s main goal is for the dissolution of Parliament to be called so that a new one can be elected in.

“Although there is no guarantee the current Opposition will win if Parliament is dissolved, we must work towards that endgame goal since things are becoming unbearable,” Nazrin said.

The demand for Parliament to be dissolved was received by the audience with considerable enthusiasm, as they roared and cheered, chanting “Bubar, Bubar, Bubar!” (dissolve, dissolve, dissolve!) repeatedly.

The forum had around 60 participants and BeNAR Malaysia founder cum chairman Hasnah Abdul Rahman said the response has been very supportive.

“The important thing is to determine what the demands to the Pakatan government would be, which I think was successfully accomplished today with minimal fuss.

“Personally I am amazed that many were willing to attend, since it can be a tough nut to crack when convincing others to step out of their comfort zone and take it to the streets,” she said.

When asked if she thinks the Opposition is ready to assume governance of the country again, Hasnah said it is “now or never”.

“We cannot wait until the next general election, it is too long. The current Opposition has to prepare itself for that eventuality, come what may,” she said.