KUALA LUMPUR – Youth leaders questioned the government over its apparent dedication in silencing the voices of dissent ahead of the #TangkapAzamBaki rally tomorrow.
Speaking at a hall above Restoran Amjal here tonight, Muda vice-president Dr Thanussha Francis Xavier asserted that the people are tired of authorities channelling their utmost effort into decisions that do not benefit the people.
“The effort that they (authorities) have put into silencing the voices of the youth is amazing,” she sarcastically said in reference to the deployment of over 1,000 police officers tomorrow for the protest scheduled to take place at the Bangsar LRT station tomorrow at 11am.
Voicing the discontent felt by many, she pointed out the irony in the overzealous call by comparing the drastic number of officers deployed tomorrow to the absence of authorities during the recent flood crisis.
Where was this readiness to deploy police officers when the people were stuck in floods?
“We did not see such a big number of officers coming out to help us when we had to face the floods but now, just a day before we are set to hold our protest, they (authorities) are ready to send out forces to silence us,” she said.
Thanussha also pointed out that the #Lawan protest held in July last year faced a similar predicament when organisers and participants were investigated by police for their involvement in the movement.
“They should know by now that we are not going to stay quiet while those who abuse their power do as they please from their high positions,” she said.
No matter how much you try to intimidate us, the youth will rise and take to the streets tomorrow to fight for the betterment of our country.”
Expressing a similar sentiment, Pakatan Harapan youth chief Howard Lee Chuan How said that the people marching for their rights tomorrow are doing so because all other avenues of change have been exhausted.
“We are not in this for fun. We are not afraid of being arrested, but we are worried about the future state of the nation if we allow corrupt politicians to rule over us.
“The youth must spark the flames of the fight to return the nation to its rightful course,” he said, urging the youth of the nation to take part in the protest tomorrow. – The Vibes, January 21, 2022
