UNIMPRESSED with the new government so far, youth activists with Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat (SSR) are monitoring Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration for improvements on governance and strengthening the democratic process. 

SSR member Ashraf Sharafi said the coalition of 40 youth activists from various civil society groups will not hesitate to stage more protests if Putrajaya fails to improve in these areas. 

For now, they are waiting and watching, he said. 

Although the government has begun to implement Undi18 – lowering the legal voting age from 21 to 18 – Ashraf said there are other matters youth activists are observing. 

“We are still waiting to see what (shape) the other reforms promised will take, especially in the area of how laws are used against young people or others who criticise the government,” he said. 

“Political satire artists such as Fahmi Reza are still being called up for questioning just for drawing satirical cartoons (of politicians). 

“It is better for the government, especially the home minister, to focus on other things to keep the people safe than to (harass) people who are critical of the government,” Ashraf added. 

The move to implement Undi18 has begun along with automatic voter registration. Last week, the Election Commission (EC) said 18-year-olds and new would-be voters can verify their personal information for the electoral roll until October 31. 

Other than the promised reforms, he said nothing is new about Ismail’s cabinet, which is of the same size and mostly comprises the same faces from the previous cabinet under Muhyiddin Yassin. 

“How do you produce something new if the individuals are still the same?” 

Ashraf added that while the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on transformation and political stability between the government and Pakatan Harapan was a good move, it is still too early to comment on it.  

“While credit can be given for there being political determination to sign the MOU, (the government) is still practising old ways of giving appointments to MPs and politicians to GLCs (government-linked companies).” 

He cited Ismail’s recent appointment of Umno’s Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakob as Felcra Bhd chairman as an example. 

“This is all for political gain. This (needs to change) so that politics becomes a space of service and patriotism to lead the country, not a space to feed cronies.” 

SSR came into the limelight during the Covid-19 epidemic this year with the black flag campaign on social media in early July to protest then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s handling of the virus outbreak. 

It successfully utilised social media with the #Lawan hashtag, to create awareness and mobilise several other peaceful protests seeking Muhyiddin’s resignation, for the then-suspended Parliament to convene, and for the state of emergency to end. 

Subsequent black flag and #Lawan protests were in the form of a vehicle convoy on July 24 and a few rallies at Dataran Merdeka, which saw effigies shrouded in burial cloths paraded to represent the Covid-19 dead.  

SSR’s largest rally to date was on July 31, which drew more than 1,000 participants, mostly young people, to the streets surrounding Dataran Merdeka. 

Several SSR members were arrested and questioned by police for violating Covid-19 movement-control orders. Public outrage was stirred over the targeting of young people when 20-year-old activist Sarah Irdina recounted her time in the police lockup.

Thirty-one activists with SSR were also issued compounds of RM2,000 each for one of the peaceful gatherings, a candlelight vigil at Dataran Merdeka on August 19 for all who died of Covid-19. – October 5, 2021.