PKR vice-president Tian Chua has dismissed Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin's claims that the Kita Lawan movement is drawing smaller numbers compared with the Reformasi movement in the late 1990s.

Tian Chua, who began his political career during the Reformasi-era, said Khairy should have scrutinised footages and photographs of the reformasi protests properly because making a comparison.

"Anyone who thinks Kita Lawan is smaller than 1998 should go back and check the footages.

"The Kita Lawan march from Sogo to KLCC surpassed what we achieved in 1998 and 1999," he said.

Yesterday, Khairy had claimed that Kita Lawan was a non-factor compared with the Reformasi movement in the late 1990s, sparked by the sacking of then deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Like the Reformasi movement, the Kita Lawan movement was a response to Anwar's jailing on Feb 10 on sodomy charges.

However, the Kita Lawan movement has segue into other current affairs issues, such as the continued use of the Sedition Act and the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST).

Aye to service charge

Chua said Khairy's attempts to play down the numbers at Kita Lawan events was a reflection of Umno's fear of the movement.

"I know many BN and Umno leaders are afraid of Kita Lawan," he said.

On the recent controversy over service charge imposed by restaurants, Chua said PKR opposed all attempts to abolish or reduce this charge.

"This is because service charge was a fairer way to redistribute income to the workers in comparison to the system of tipping," said Chua.

He urged consumers to respect this fee and that the public must be clear that it is different from the sales and service tax collected by the government.