Several cyclists of the Jerit (Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas or Oppressed People Network) ride for change campaign riding into Parliament with Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers this morning. More than 100 cyclists were allowed into Parliament under police escort as they ended their 16-day journey from Johor Baru and Alor Star. — Picture by Choo Choy May
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 - Close to 100 cyclists from a people's rights network coasted into the Parliament compound today, amid a federal government frenzy to pass the Prime Minister's reform bills before the year is out.
Their mission: to hand over to PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi a laundry list for better laws to safeguard the public.
The cyclists from the Oppressed People's Network, better known by their Malay acronym Jerit (Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas), wanted the federal government to remove the Internal Security Act, set up a minimal wage law, stop privatising basic amenities and restore elections at the local government level.
They also demanded comfortable housing for squatters in the cities and better price control for goods.
The coalition of five groups representing youths, environmentalists, factory workers, estate workers, urban squatters and villagers failed to meet up with Abdullah.
But they managed to pass their demands to a proxy, Senator T. Murugiah and to each of the three parties in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
While Murugiah, a deputy minister in the PM's Department, reportedly told Jerit national coordinator Kohila that the federal government would "look into it", the PR MPs responded more actively.
Many turned up to escort the Jerit cyclists from the Parliament gate to an annexed hall behind Parliament House.
Some, including Mahfuz Omar (Pas-Pokok Sena), M. Manogaran (DAP-Teluk Intan) and Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju), even rode alongside them.
Another Jerit coordinator, M. Sarasvathy, said with the laws and policies were even more important than ever considering the global economic slump.
It was only a matter of time before Malaysia was dragged into it, she noted.
How then will the people survive, the social activist questioned.
It had been a long and uphill task for Jerit to reach Parliament, both literally and metaphorically.
The coalition had banded together five years ago to pressure the federal government over the same issues.
They started their cycling campaign for change 16 days ago, from as far north as Alor Star in Kedah and Johor Baru, to the south.
Along the way, they claim they had been repeatedly harassed by the police force.
They had been stopped, arrested, and had their bicycles and cameras snatched away, said Ong Su Phin, a Jerit cyclist from Penang.
Pulling out a rather tatty slip of folded paper from his pocket, the young man said it was a bail sheet issued by the police in Rawang.
He said the police had taken away his bicycle as well as those belonging to the rest of the Jerit campaigners when they had stopped for an evening meal there five days ago.
When they reported to the police station nearby, those aged 18 and above were put in the lock-up and released only in the wee hours of the morning.
Each was issued a bail sheet, compelling them to report back to the station.
"I still don't know what I did wrong," Ong said, pointing to a blank spot on his bail sheet where the offence was to be listed.
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