By Isyraf Najmuddin
As someone who attended the Turun Anwar (Anwar, step down) rally, I believe the rally failed to achieve its objectives.
Yes, I am disappointed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s policies throughout his two-and-a-half year tenure.
However, the protest did not explain in great detail what’s lacking in Anwar’s government. Instead, it only covered the surface of our current problems.
Truth be told, I left the rally feeling empty. I asked myself: what was the point of this?
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Even the key speakers, the supposed ‘heavyweights’, such as Isham Jalil, former Prime Minister Mahiaddin Yasin, Azmin Ali and Dr Mahathir Mohamad failed to capture why many people are dissatisfied with the current government.
I believe they themselves did not even know why they were holding the rally. They kept repeating the same issues, over and over.
The entire rally left a sour taste. It felt like the rally was only being held because the opposition wants to be in power.
Speakers discussed no new policies or ideas – nothing. The speeches were either of poor quality or just empty rhetoric and slogans to energise the participants.
This rally made me and many others feel the opposition is not fighting for the people but for themselves. If this is the best the opposition has to offer, then many ordinary people, especially the youth, will continue to feel disillusioned.
The people of Malaysia deserve better – from both sides.
Isyraf Najmuddin Talib is a law student who follows the Aliran website.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
