ARTISTS should not be penalised for voicing their political views, singer Wan Aishah Wan Ariffin told Pakatan Harapan convention delegates in Shah Alam today.

Better known as Aishah, the singer said politicians on both sides of the divide should respect artists and their views. 

“There is no need to demonise them. We should appreciate that celebrities care about people’s issues like the rising cost of living,” Aishah said to loud applause from the 1,000-odd audience at the Ideal Convention Centre Shah Alam.

Aishah is the former lead vocalist of the Aishah and The Fan Club in New Zealand. She returned to Malaysia in the 1990s and has cut 10 solo albums here.

She is among the representatives of various sectors invited to speak at the convention.

Last year, jazz queen Sheila Majid and popular TV actress Nur Fathia Latiff earned a tongue-lashing from Rizal Mansor, aide to prime minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor, for taking to their political views to Twitter.

Both were derided as being the opposition’s propaganda tools.

Sheila had complained about  the high cost of living while Nur Fathia questioned Putrajaya’s motive in investigating Bank Negara Malaysia’s forex losses of the 1990s when it had ignored the scandal surrounding state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

A former top government official and representatives of Felda, rice farmers, women and the youth also spoke at the convention.

Former Election Commission chairman,  Bersatu vice-president Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said PH must reform the civil service and restore press freedom and the rule of law should it win the 14th general election this year.

The 75-year-old said he decided to join Bersatu as he was inspired to follow PH and Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s footstep, who  turns 93 this year.

Abdul Rahman Ramli, 57, from Felda Raja Alias in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan said many settlers are disappointed in the land reform agency’s leadership and hoped PH would revamp the agency tasked with improving the quality of life for the rural poor.

Felda recently made the headlines again with the exposure of a  shady land sale and acquisition of overvalued hotel properties in London and Sarawak.

The Malaysian Insight reported yesterday that the settlers’ mounting debts incurred as a result of them signing up for a Felda replanting scheme could sway BN’s loyal vote bank, especially second-generation settlers, and cause them to vote the opposition.

Mohd Rosdi Yahaya, representing Padi Rescue, an advocacy group to
reform Malaysia’s sole rice distributor Bernas, said he hoped PH would introduce changes in Bernas should it come into power.

Wanita PH election director Haniza Talha urged the coalition’s top leadership to give women and young people more opportunities to step up and help end kleptocracy in Malaysia.

“Don’t just ask us to do work. We’re very diligent, we work all the time, give us the chance to represent the women,” said Haniza. – January 7, 2018.