Kota Kinabalu: A group calling themselves anti-corruption protestors could not gain entry past the Menara Kinabalu front gates on Tuesday to achieve their objective of holding a peaceful rally, Tuesday.
The 200-odd group comprising NGO members and about 50 UMS students, camped outside while the government-organised Ria Carnival went on inside.
AdvertisementEvent coordinator Muhamad Fadhil Muhamad Kasim, a business student at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, admitted it was not the 10,000 crowd they had hoped for but that it was still “a bold show of activism by a small group”. The pro-government supporters.
He blamed the failure of the protest to the many armed police officers and riot squad, which, he believed, was meant to scare the activists.
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“We don’t represent UMS but the anger of the people. There is no political play here, this is the true form of the student body,” he said.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The rival pro-government Himpunan Bangkit group also staged its peace rally to counter the Sabah Gempur Rasuah (Anti-Corruption) protestors.
It hoped to make the students stop and think next time before labelling anyone as guilty if he or she had never been charged in court. Zulkarnain
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Its Advisor Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar said: “The main purpose of us staging our peace rally is to make the protestors, including UMS students, understand and open their eyes that what they are doing is wrong and did not follow justice.
“The Gempur Rasuah group carelessly alleged Tun Musa Aman (incoming Governor) and Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor (Chief Minister) of such act when both have never been found guilty by any court in the State or in the country.
“Even those eight YBs (in alleged mining scandal) have not been brought to the court. So why are they being judged harshly?
“We, Himpunan Bangkit group consist of 100 NGOs and are also against corruption and we want the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate,” he said, when met near Anjung Selera Likas, Tuesday.
About 1,500 people from 20 NGOs took part in the Himpunan Bangkit Peace Rally from 2pm until 3pm.
Zulkarnain who is also Gerakan Kuasa Rakyat Malaysia (G57) Chairman, said Himpunan Bangkit want MACC to investigate the mining scandal involving the eight YBs so that justice prevails.
“Even I lodged a report with MACC but found it ironic that a person (whistleblower) who claimed to have the evidence did not pass it to MACC but chose a news portal to expose the claims.
“MACC was asked to collect the video clips and the rest from the new portal which is unfair to all the (8) accused,” he said.
He said the Gerak Gempur Rasuah group should realise that the Chief Minister had already given his commitment that the government had nothing to hide and the eight YBs have given their full cooperation to MACC.
“Our actions are primarily aimed at raising awareness for the people out there, especially those who claim to be anti-corruption crusaders, that they should behave respectfully and uphold the rule of law and ethical conduct.
“Right now, they are doing inappropriate things. They make caricatures, placing money here and there, even though the individual in question never committed any wrongdoing.
"They even vandalised public property. We see them defacing roads as well. All of these are not good for Sabah and this culture of vandalism cannot be practised here.”
He said Himpunan Bangkit group would conduct a peace rally to counter any group that plan to stage one for the wrong reasons.