KUALA LUMPUR – A newly-formed civil society group called Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat has made six demands to the federal government to address the people’s plight amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The youth-based group spread the demand on Twitter with the hashtag #EnamTuntutan, calling on the government to work for the people by ending the emergency and reconvening Parliament.
It also wants the lowering of the voting age to 18 (Undi18) to be implemented immediately.
The other demands called for a guarantee of the independence of the people’s economy, the consolidation of the education system to ensure safe learning spaces for all Malaysians, and the impartial and humane enforcement of the law.
The group also called on the rights of Sabah and Sarawak to be strengthened.
In a statement accompanying the demand, the group said the people were facing increasing pressure after one year of the pandemic.
It said 800,000 people had lost their jobs and 32,000 businesses have closed, while the unemployment rate stands at 4.8%.
“Even more saddening, the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that were introduced to prevent the spread of the pandemic more than a year ago is still a mess,” the group said.
“It is bright and clear that there are two standards in terms of enforcement because the ministers and the wealthy are not facing stern action, while the normal people are fined tens of thousands of ringgit.”
The demands were believed to be the first public statement by the new group and were widely shared among youth activists and politicians, especially from the youth-led Muda.
6 Tuntutan Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat.
— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) April 27, 2021
Kerajaan harus segera bekerja untuk rakyat. Jangan terus tipu rakyat dan diri sendiri.
Rakyat sedang susah, lapar dan sakit. Act now!#EnamTuntutan pic.twitter.com/XPPMCD5QA5
#EnamTuntutan pic.twitter.com/uED3JIUFdn
— Dr.Mathen (@DrMathen) April 27, 2021
#EnamTuntutan adalah satu gerakan rakyat. Jelas banyak kepincangan dalam pentadbiran kerajaan.
— amirx abd hadi (@amirxabdhadi) April 27, 2021
Dalam keadaan pandemik, semua terkesan. 800,000 hilang kerja. 32,000 PKS tutup kedai, pengangguran di tahap 4.8 peratus.
SOP caca marba, perlaksanaan 2 darjat dan tak adil. pic.twitter.com/hZHhufNGIe
The group also called the emergency a “failure” based on the rising number of Covid-19 infections.
“At the same time, Parliament could not convene to debate policies and the people’s issues,” it said.
“The multitude of assistance announced during the last Budget such as the (150,000) laptops are still nowhere to be seen.
It added that the rights of the youth were seized after the government decided to postpone the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18, despite Parliament’s decision to do so by July 2021. – The Vibes, April 28, 2021
