'Long live the people' grouping demonstrate at Dataran Merdeka

Late night at the Dataran Merdeka, around 100 people demonstrated peacefully ‘for the people’

With the Parti Socialist Malaysia in the lead, the group chanted: “Hidup rakyat” (Long live the people) and “Mampus politikus” (Die politicians).

They are fed-up with the 3 days of the power struggle that has rocked the Pakatan Harapan government.

11 members of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat of Anwar Ibrahim left the party after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as PM.

With them, the 25 MPs from the Bersatu—the party of Dr Mahathir— also quit the Pakatan Harapan.

The Pakatan Harapan is the coalition headed by Dr Mahathir since their May 2018 election victory.

At the Dataran Merdeka (the independence square), the speakers stood on a bench to address the crowd.

Though a small crowd, they say they represent the voice of the people.

BETRAYAL

For the organisers and participants, there is a betrayal of the people’s vote. They believe the people of Malaysia decided to throw the Umno-Barisan Nasional regime for the betterment of the country.

But the resignation of Dr Mahathir opens the doors for the same old regime to grab power.

“We respect what is happening at the palace, we let them discuss but the people’s voice must be heard,” the leader of the PSM, A Sivarajan says.

“The elected representatives have failed us because politics is not just through the representatives. We have to build the people’s power. We have to equal our power with them.

“We respect what is happening at the palace, we let them discuss but the people’s voice must be heard,” Sivarajan says.

In Malaysia, most of the talks are about the possible betrayal of the Pakatan Harapan (Coalition of Hope).

But there is hope the PH will still be in power after they say they secured enough MPs to lead the country.

The PH had less than 135 seats in the 222 seat Parliament. With the 11 MPs from the PKR and the 25 MPs from the Bersatu quitting, the coalition was in minority.

SUPPORT FOR TUN MAHATHIR

However, with several parties and the PH still giving support to interim PM Dr Mahathir, the PH still has a chance.

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