A former minister from PKR has advised anyone commenting on the anti-Anwar Ibrahim rally last weekend to exercise caution in doing so, saying it could come off as belittling the concerns of the people.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who resigned as natural resources and environmental sustainability minister in May, gave the example of comments on the rubbish that had to be cleared after the rally.
“The act of magnifying an issue such as the amount of garbage collected may seem trivial, but it can be seen as belittling the people’s concerns and even sending a message with racial undertones.
“While that is not the intention, politics is about perception,” he said in a post on X.
Nik Nazmi’s remarks followed a brief uproar in the Dewan Rakyat two days ago over a claim by housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming that 20 tonnes of rubbish had to be cleared following the Turun Anwar rally on July 26.
Nga said his claim was based on figures provided by the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation, a government agency.
Nik Nazmi said such issues could give rise to sympathy for the organisers and detract from the openness of the government and the weakness of the opposition’s arguments.
He added that the government should not be defensive when criticised, but instead find solutions to basic issues such as the cost of living and matters pertaining to social justice and the economy.
He said these issues would be racialised in order to woo voters.
“The future of the country isn’t built on rhetoric, but honesty, hard work and the willingness to listen,” he said.
