YOUTH group Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat (SSR) is mulling if it should go ahead with its #Lawan protest on August 21 even though Muhyiddin Yassin has quit as prime minister. 

SSR spokesman Mohammad Asraf Sharafi Mohammad Azhar said the rally is still on the cards. 

“What I can say now is that we are discussing the next move. There are a lot of uncertainties, but we are not ruling out protesting on Saturday,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

He said its representatives will be meeting the Dang Wangi police chief tomorrow on the matter. 

“We were called by the police to discuss the protest, which is planned for Saturday,” he said. 

Apart from demanding Muhyiddin’s resignation, it also wants Parliament to reconvene and an automatic loan moratorium for all Malaysians.

It has also expressed dissatisfaction over Putrajaya’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite measures such as state of emergency and lockdowns. 

Asraf said although Muhyiddin has resigned as prime minister, the rally will put pressure on the new government to address the issues raised. 

“We still don’t know what kind of government is going to be formed,” he said.

“We feel we should pressure whoever is set to lead to focus on strengthening democracy, helping the people and providing political stability. 

“If we are going to the ground, it is for this. We are still mulling it.” 

Seven SSR activists have been called in to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters to have their statements recorded to assist in investigations into the planned #Lawan rally. 

Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Delihan Yahaya, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed that all of them were present at the police station today. 

“They are being investigated under section 14 of the Sedition Act 1948 and section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1988. Several other people will also be called soon,” he said.

On August 7, Inspector-General of Police Acryl Abdullah Sani warned that stern action will be taken against anyone who takes part in the #Lawan rally on August 21. 

He also stressed that police will not tolerate those who organise or participate in any rally. 

On July 31, SSR held its first rally in Kuala Lumpur, which saw five of its activists hauled up by the police. 

The five were Asraf, Mohamad Al Shatri Abdullah, Tharmelinggem Pillai, Qyira Yusri and Sevan Doraisamy. 

Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy told The Malaysian Insight that three of them were fined RM2,000 each for breaching the movement-control order. 

The three – Mohd Asyraf of Bersih 2.0, Mohd Alsatri of Suaram and poet Taufik Azhar – were issued a RM2,000 compound each by the Dang Wangi police.

Some 2,000 young people had gathered in the area surrounding Dataran Merdeka during the July protest. – August 17, 2021.