KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — A pro-Pakatan Harapan (PH) grassroots group today announced a public conference to be held in the Dewan Tabung Haji in Kelana Jaya, Selangor on July 2 as a platform for discourse on the rising cost of living and the prices of goods.
In a statement today, the group said the event called Sidang Nadi Rakyat (Malay for “Conference of the People’s Pulse”) will allow voters to speak up and influence policymakers on fundamental issues that also include education, public transport and discrimination against women and youths.
“This conference will be attended by all leaders and Members of Parliament of Pakatan Harapan. The closing of the session will be made by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the Chairman of Pakatan Harapan,” its secretariat said here.
As a sign of solidarity and support for the conference, attendees are encouraged to wear white to the event.
Last week, the PH Presidential Council had urged the government to come up with measures to address issues regarding subsidies and rising cost of living within 24 hours or resign following the removal of ceiling price of chicken and subsidies for cooking oil.
The government responded saying that ceiling prices for chicken will go on and subsidies for packet cooking oil will still be maintained.
However, yesterday PH again urged the federal government to maintain the ceiling price of chicken and chicken eggs, as well as bottled cooking oil subsidies describing the removal of these measures as “half-baked and hasty”.
This comes as the Sultan of Johor last week chided a state DAP leader for proposing street protests to pressure the government to resolve the country’s cost of living crisis.
Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said that street demonstrations were an irresponsible reaction to the problem and there were more constructive methods to resolve the issue.
In response, electoral watchdog Bersih said street demonstrations do not always lead to mere chaos, and street rallies are a legitimate way for Malaysians to express themselves and have proved to be useful in not only improving government processes and institutions but has been constructive in the formation of Malaysia.
* Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article contained an error which has since been rectified.
