It looks like Pakatan Rakyat have their work cut out for them in promoting their ‘ Buku Jingga ’, or Orange Book , as PKR’s youth wing launched its ‘Jingga Month’ campaign today to promote the opposition coalition’s economic manifesto should they take over federal power.

NONE Youths met at the Masjid Jamek LRT station, where PKR Youth launched their campaign, were either oblivious to the Orange Book ’s existence or have only heard bits of the promises detailed in the book, which is part of their 100-day Reform Agenda .

Twenty-year-old Akyil Krisman Refirimen said today was the first time he had even heard of the Orange Book , though he was quite taken by the points raised in the pamphlets handed out by PKR Youth members at the station.

Taking some time to read through the points raised in the pamphlet before speaking to reporters, the college student from Gombak said the opposition’s promises appeared “rational” but stressed that leaders need to do much more to inform the public on what is truly happening in the country.

“They need to bring forward what the people need, and youths need to know what needs to be done to avoid bad situations like what has happened in Egypt,” he said, referring to the rocky revolution that deposed long-time president Hosni Mubarak.

Another student, 21-year-old undergraduate Siti Noraini Basuri, reacted positively to some of Pakatan’s promises, such as the abolishment of outstanding PTPTN loans and capping fuel costs, but looked perplexed when asked if she has heard of the Orange Book .

“I’ve never heard of the Buku Jingga , but I’ll support change if it is for the better,” said the Damansara native.

One youth who said he has read of Pakatan’s economic promises online said they sounded “very attractive”, though he admitted that he only got more information after reading the pamphlet.

Youths for change

Kuching-based businessman David Benging Kadding, however, appeared quite receptive to Pakatan regardless, particularly since Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian is a fellow Lawas native.

“(Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul) Taib (Mahmud) has been ruling for too long. The main issue is corruption, and also native land rights. The government claims it has solved many land issues, but I don’t think they’ve cleared even 10 percent of the cases.

pkr congress 281110 shamsul iskandar “That is what we have been fighting for in Sarawak for so long, and we youths hope that these issues will be solved,” he said.

PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin ( right ) acknowledged the slow rate at which Pakatan is promoting the Orange Book , which is the reason they are pushing the ‘Jingga Month’ for the whole of April.

“We need to work hard to promote the Buku Jingga to the public, especially among youths. We know this (Jingga Month) is not enough, but we have to start somewhere.

“As you have seen for yourself, there are many in the city itself who are not aware of the Buku Jingga , and many more across the country who do not have access to alternative media... so we have to start from the city first,” he said.

Shamsul said apart from working the LRT routes today, they will also get on the Komuter and bus routes in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor every weekend this month to distribute pamphlets on the Orange Book .

He added that PKR youth have invited their contemporaries from DAP and PAS to launch a nationwide roadshow to rebut the many “ fitnah ”, or allegations, thrown at Pakatan by BN.

Shamsul however skimped on the details, saying that they will finalise everything after the youth wings of all three parties discuss the plan at a meeting on Monday.