PAKATAN Harapan leaders have called on all Malaysians who desire a change to attend a rally on October 14 which marks the end of the coalition’s three-month aggressive campaigning against Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government.

At the final leg of the Sayangi Malaysia, Hapus Kleptokrasi (Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy) ceramah in Penang last night, PH leaders told the crowd that the people need to send a clear message of discontent to the government.

“Your attendance will enable us to end kleptocracy. We have to let the federal government hear the grouses of the people,” said PH deputy president and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The final rally, which is to be held at Padang Timur in Petaling Jaya this coming Saturday, is the grand finale of PH’s anti-kleptocracy nationwide ceramah and roadshows aimed at breaking down and explaining the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

“We have to do away with the GST (goods and services tax), and demand for action against 1MDB and the people behind the scandal,” said Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general.

“If the government doesn’t hear the people, we will remove Barisan Nasional when the general election comes.”

Lim said even state governments have to pay GST when they build or upgrade infrastructure and public amenities.

“The Penang government paid RM200 million in GST. Imagine what we could have done with the money. We have asked Putrajaya many times to exempt state governments and local councils from the tax, but it never listened.

“Now is the time. We have to go to the rally (this coming Saturday),” he said.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu or Mat Sabu said the gathering, which the coalition is hoping will attract at least 100,000 people, will be a clear message to Najib as the embattled leader prepares to call for the 14th general election, which must be held by next August.

The gathering will give Malaysians from all walks of life, who desire a change in government, an opportunity to gather together in solidarity.

“We should all be there to get more information and lift our spirits in the struggle to remove BN.”

Penang PH recently announced that it was providing free buses for the public interested to go to the Petaling Jaya rally. The buses from Penang will leave for Selangor at 9am on Saturday.

Other leaders who spoke at last night’s ceramah said the rising cost of living and the burden of the GST on the people were some of the main reasons for the people to come out of their homes and gather next Saturday.

“We can be ashamed of ourselves if we don’t turn up because the oldest person who will be showing up at the rally is 92 years old,” said Amanah deputy Youth chief Faiz Fadzil, referring to PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

PH’s anti-kleptocracy roadshow was taken to all states, including Sabah and Sarawak, in the opposition pact’s build-up to GE14. – October 8, 2017.