In a scene reminiscent of Kuala Lumpur in the 1950s, four PKR MPs rode their bicycles to Parliament today in order to "feel the hardship of the people" in the aftermath of the fuel price hike.

pkr mp bicycle ride to parliament 230608 04 Tian Chua (Batu), N Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai), Zulkifli Noordin (Kulim) and Hee Loy Hian (Petaling Jaya Selatan) were also protesting the motion of support for the price hikes tabled by Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Shahrir Abdul Samad.

"We are riding bicycles to show the ministers the hardship faced by the public and we have decided to go against the motion," said Chua.

He stressed that the government was inconsiderate and did not hear the plight of poor people in hiking the prices.

"The government wants people to change their lifestyle but riding bicycles is not practical with present road designs and we have poor public transportation," he added.

pkr mp bicycle ride to parliament 230608 zulkifli nordin 'Childish act'

Asked why they rode from Bank Negara, Gobalakrishnan explained that the departure point was the centre for "major financial institutions" and has everything to do with the price hikes.

"We want the message to reach the prime minister and as MPs we are with the people and we feel what they are going through," he said.

Zulkifli ( left ) invited Barisan Nasional MPs, especially Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to join them in "feeling the hardship" of the people.

"(Besides), it (cycling) is good exercise," he quipped.

Met later, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz dismissed the protest as "childish."

pkr mp bicycle ride to parliament 230608 01 "They shouldn’t make a gimmick and this is not in line with their status as (MPs)," he told reporters.

He said the four PKR leaders should have employed a "better approach" to help the nation instead of riding bicycles.

Watch the 2-min video in Malaysiakini.tv.