KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN activists have threatened to stage a
naked protest over a sudden hike in rental rates for government
housing, drawing criticism from Muslim leaders and police on
Tuesday.
Mr Ramlan Abu Bakar of the Malaysian People's Reform Movement
said its members were prepared to strip off outside the offices of
the chief minister of Selangor state, after it more than doubled
the cost of low-income housing.
'Protesting naked is our final act of desperation as the state
government is literally stealing the clothes off our backs with
this price increase,' Mr Ramlan told AFP.
'They are not helping the poor people here who barely make
enough to afford the present rental of 124 ringgit (S$52.50 per
month) so how can we afford to pay 250 ringgit?' he said.
The hardline Islamic party PAS, which is part of the opposition
alliance, criticised the plans, with its spiritual leader Nik Abdul
Aziz Nik Mat saying only 'uncivilised' people would resort to such
an act.
'Even an animal like a cow which is stark naked, God created a
tail to hide its genitals and here we are talking about human
beings who have been given a mind,' he told state news agency
Bernama.
Mr Ramlan said his group would submit a memorandum to opposition
leader Anwar Ibrahim, whose alliance runs Selangor state, and that
if it failed to bring about any change they will push ahead with
the nude protest.
State police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said action will be taken
against anyone staging an illegal assembly.
'We will take firm action against any NGO (non-governmental
organisation) that holds a gathering without a permit, and even
more so if they are nude,' he told Bernama. -- AFP
