More than 15 people shaved their heads bald in front of the Parliament House today to protest the jailing of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

 

Lawmakers who lost their hair included Kota Kinabalu MP Jimmy Wong, Pasir Puteh MP Nik Maizan Nik Mohamad, Semambu state assemblyperson Lee Chean Chung, Simpang Pulai state assemblyperson Tan Kar Hing and Machang Bubuk state assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon.

Chean Chung said the event is also to protest the ongoing political harassment of politicians and activists through arrests and criminal investigations.

Among opposition supporters who joined the protest was a 70-year-old woman and a number of PKR Youth members.

 

Nik Maizan said he shaved his head to protest against the "flawed" judicial system.

 

"The government has failed to ensure justice. The judgment passed on Anwar was wrong and politically motivated," the PAS lawmaker said.

'Free Sabah'

Meanwhile, Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming, who is already bald, was seen shaving some of the protesters.

Other MPs at the event included Padang Serai MP N Surendran, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen.

Jimmy, who was shaved by Ong, said he was sacrificing his hair for the betterment of the country.

"This half is for Anwar and the other half is for Sabah... Free Sabah from illegal immigrants!" exclaimed Wong while being shaved.

The event was organised by Chean Chung, Tan and Khai Loon. The trio are from PKR.

However, Chean Chung stressed the event is a citizen’s initiative.

“Even though this is organised by assemblypersons, many ordinary citizens decided to join in,” he said.

Last minute petition blitz

There was also a group of PKR youth members who gathered to launch a people's petition to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to free Anwar as well.

"The people's petition is sent to the Agong to free Anwar from his imprisonment. We plead to Malaysians that love freedom and justice in the country to sign this petition," said PKR deputy youth chief Afif Bahardin in a statement that was distributed today.

PKR youth wing vice chief, Mohd Radzlan Jalaluddin added that many were unhappy with the recent decisions made by the judiciary which drove them to create this resolution.

"We have gathered here to launch this petition because we are unhappy with the state the country is in. Many of us feel the judiciary is not transparent and unjust," he told reporters today.