MORE than 300 people, including children, took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur this evening, to “strike” against climate change and voice their stand against capitalism at the expense of the environment, following the global strike led by teenager Greta Thunberg yesterday.

Demonstrators started their march from Sogo on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman at 4.30pm and reached Dataran Merdeka 45 minutes later, to make their stand against climate change and lay down demands.

The demonstration, organised by Klima Action Malaysia, demanded the government enact the Transboundary Haze Act, take action against companies contributing to the current environmental conditions, restrict government-linked investment companies from working with polluters and to device a nationwide system to monitor hotspots.

The #malaysiaagainsthaze movement also demanded Asean leaders work together effectively to combat the problem.

Pupils of SJKT Sg Ara, Penang, dubbed eco-warriors by Education Minister Maszlee Malik for championing the cause of climate change, also took the forefront at the demonstration.

K. Raja Rajeshwary K, 12, said she and her schoolmate M. Sasiharini, 11, had come down from Penang to take part in the rally.

“There is a lot of smoke and we want to protect our earth. My hope is more that more parents will allow children to support climate change strike,” she said.

She wanted the government to take proactive measures to combat the problems that has left many ill.

Raja said they sought the permissions of their school management and parents to join the rally.

“I have been learning about climate change since I was in Standard 1,” she said, adding that it was incorporated in their syllabus.

Expatriate couple Naveen and Deepti brought their five-year-old son Devensh to give him exposure to the cause.

“Save our Planet Earth,” said Devensh.

Deepti told The Malaysian Insight she wants more people to plant trees and to be aware of the implications of climate change.

Meanwhile, Mustafa Along from Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli, Kelantan, said he came all the way from the east coast to join the rally.

He said the cause is close to his heart because he has seen how massive deforestation can cause natural catastrophes.

“My friends and I came to support the demonstration because we know about the climate crisis and we want the government to stop acting as if it is not happening.”

He also urged the government to draft policies that address environmental problems.

“I will bring it up in Parliament and suggest that satellite images be used to show smoke covered areas and we will ask the corporations to defend themselves,” said Subang MP Wong Chen, at the rally.

Chairman of the Centre For Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (Cetdem) Gurmit Singh said the government should stop pussyfooting around and come up with hard targets.

“We need to build momentum and more people need to be involved, not just children, we need the adults to be involved,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The organiser of the protest, Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar, said the turnout was below expectations because of the smoke.

She added that the seven demands they made will be extended to Parliament when it convenes in October.

The crowd dispersed at about 6.40pm. – September 21, 2019.