RED Shirts movement leader Jamal Md Yunos has pledged to continue with his attention-grabbing antics, which he claims are done in the name of defending the people.

Jamal has launched several over-the-top protests in recent times, including donning a towel to protest against water cuts in Ampang and more recently, smashing bottles of beer outside the Selangor state secretariat building.

He was detained over the beer-smashing stunt but released two days later. An unrepentant Jamal said he will continue to raise awareness of issues allegedly affecting the people.

The Umno warlord is currently the head of the party’s Sg Besar division, but has expressed his desire to fight for the top post in the Youth wing.

However, he said the attention-grabbing antics have nothing to do with his political ambitions.

“What I’m doing is for the benefit of the people,” Jamal told The Malaysian Insight.

“I will continue to do these kinds of gimmicks until the issues which I have raised are solved.”

While many of Jamal’s protests have been against the Selangor government whose leaders are from the federal opposition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), the Chinese-majority DAP is a favourite target.

On September 30, he held a “market day” to sell fresh fish at lower prices and blamed DAP and Chinese middlemen for conspiring to raise prices so that the rakyat would be angry with the government.

He will hold another “fish market” on Saturday at Padang Timur in Petaling Jaya, the same venue as the PH mega-rally as part of its “Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy” roadshow. 

Below are excerpts from the interview:

TMI: Why do you carry out such gimmicks like smashing beer bottles, arranging beds in front of the Selangor government building, and protesting against the water saga clad in a towel?

Jamal: When we call for a press conference, we want to get publicity for what we are doing. We don’t want to send memorandums and letters because this is the old way of doing things and it is not effective. 

What I’m doing gets the message across and it has worked. 

For example, I showed up at the Selangor secretariat office in Shah Alam last year in a towel to protest against the water problems in the state and in Ampang and it worked.

If I came in normal attire, it will not have an impact and will not draw any attention (to the issue).

TMI: Have your actions had any effect on the state government?

Jamal: We managed to solve the water, gambling and massage issues in Sekinchan and in most places around Selangor.

Not everything we have done has been successful but at least it is a reminder to the state government that what they have now is because of the people.

TMI. Why haven’t you attacked the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) issue, but only focused on the Selangor government?

Jamal: Umno is the opposition in Selangor so we are looking at issues in the state. So, I don’t talk about other issues (1MDB) but focus on the issues here.

Also, many people have spoken about 1MDB, but a lot of people don’t want to know what has been explained about 1MDB.

You can say anything about 1MDB, you can explain the issue with evidence but those on the other side (opposition), want the answer to be what they want. So, it is no use explaining the issue.

TMI. You have expressed your desire to become the Umno Youth chief? Are all your antics now to draw attention to yourself? Current Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaludddin studied in Oxford. Do you think you are qualified to take over?

Jamal: Even though I have intentions towards that direction (becoming Youth chief), the (next) elections are more important that having a post. And no, what I am doing now has nothing to do with my ambitions.

Anyway, what’s wrong (in going for the post)? You don’t necessarily need to come from Oxford to become the Umno Youth chief.

TMI: What do you think of the ridicule you have attracted on social media?

Jamal: I don’t care if people want to ridicule me. Whether it is negative or positive, it doesn’t matter, the important thing is the message I want to convey gets through to as many people as possible.  

Those people are only smart in going on social media and making fun and insulting me.

What I’m doing is for the benefit of the people. So, I’m not forcing anyone to agree with what I’m doing. Because I’m only voicing out the problems of the people, especially in Selangor.

Their insults don’t affect me one bit. Even if they curse me daily, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

TMI: You have been arrested several times. Does that deter you?

Jamal: I’m prepared to face the consequences of my action. I have been arrested so many times, I can’t remember how many. I have entered the lock-up and been remanded. I don’t care about all of that because I’m a leader. 

I will continue to do all these kinds of gimmicks until the issues which I have raised are solved.

For instance, the water crisis in Ampang. We have been facing periodic water cuts. After I raised the issue, we have had no water problems until today. And most of the areas around Selangor which had water issues have been resolved.

It is the same for the gambling dens. The authorities have taken action and there are no more gambling machines here.

TMI: Who funds all your gimmicks?

Jamal: The money comes from funds under our coalition of civil society groups (Gabungan NGO Gerakan Merah Malaysia). We have 448 civil society groups from all over Malaysia in our coalition and 200 are based in Selangor.

All the civil society groups will donate to the fund. I can’t say how much we have in the fund.

The funding does not come from Umno. It (Umno) funds are for its own programmes.

TMI: You have blamed the DAP and Chinese middlemen for conspiring to raise fish prices. How do you figure so?

Jamal: DAP says many Chinese support them. So, my view is that most of the fish vendors are DAP supporters. Why close to the elections, fish is expensive, before this, it was not?

So, my assumptions is true with what is happening (that the DAP supporters are the middleman).

What I’m doing is addressing the issue of the price hike for fish. I want the people to know that the price of fish is not what the price should be now.

TMI: You are planning to hold a fish market this Saturday at Padang Timur in Petaling Jaya, the same venue where PH will hold a mega-rally. Are you trying to disrupt it? Like the Red Shirt counter-rally in Padang Merbok last year?

Jamal: I’m not going there to disrupt the rally. If they want to do it, they can go ahead and do it. If they have the permit for the rally it’s their right. There are also other people there selling food and drinks, so there is nothing wrong selling fish.

I will be bringing 10 tonnes of fish in three lorries. The fish are from my sources in Sg Besar and Perak. I also did not apply for any permit to sell the fish. – October 12, 2017.