The rise of the urban class demanding for more civil liberties and better governance is a sign of the success of democracy in Malaysia, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low said.

“The change in public demands especially coming from the urban class towards human rights, civil liberties and better governance has increased.

“In a sense, it is a success of our democratic systems. If we do not have jobs or if we are hungry, I do not think human rights would be important to us,” Low said in his speech at a conference about democracy in Southeast Asia at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Kuala Lumpur today.