KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — A few hundred protesters have started gathering in the city centre here today on May Day to demonstrate against the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Many of them located outside Masjid Negara were dressed in red T-shirts with the words “Bantah GST” (Reject GST) and carried banners saying: “Anti-GST parade: This is not a protest, it is a process”.
“This is not the right time for GST. People are poor, especially those from kampung, can they afford it?” said Mizy, who came from Kedah to attend the rally by the #KitaLawan movement against the broad based consumption tax.
“So you tell me, do you agree with GST? Of course not!” he told Malay Mail Online, declining to reveal his full name.
Having attended a few rallies including Bersih 3.0 in 2012 and PAS’ own anti-GST rally last month, Mizy said he expects a peaceful march today without violence or police arrests.
Among the prominent political figures expected to join the rally from Masjid Negara are PAS leaders such as its deputy president Mohamad Sabu and Khalid Samad among others.
Echoing a similar-themed rally last month held by PAS, the anti-GST rally here also featured stalls selling food, clothes and religious products.
A Rawang-based housewife called Maria, who declined to give her full name, said this was not her first time attending a rally, having participated in the Islamist party’s rally last month.
“Not my first time, experienced already,” she told Malay Mail Online, adding that she expected a peaceful march.
The #KitaLawan movement has set out five gathering points for the anti-GST rally at Kuala Lumpur before the march to Dataran Merdeka.
#KitaLawan aims to get about one million participants for the anti-GST rally that was originally planned to be held at Dataran Merdeka.
Police have agreed to allow the rally to proceed, but on condition that it is held at Padang Merbok.
