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 (photo) said in his speech at a conference about democracy in Southeast Asia at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Kuala Lumpur today.

The dichotomy of demands between the urban class and the rural class is also a sign that the government has successfully created a strong middle-class, he said.

“Coming from the urban and middle-class, they want more civil rights and liberties, and coming from the rural class, they are more concerned with issues of good infrastructure, opportunities and employment,” he said.

He also defended against accusations that the elections in Malaysia are unfair.

He pointed out that in the 12th and 13th general elections, the incumbent party had lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament as well as losing several states to the opposition.

“So if democracy is not at work in Malaysia, how can the incumbent government lose two-thirds of its majority and lose four states?

“Surely something must be said that democracy, voting by public and free and fair elections does exist,” he said.

On another matter, Low at a press conference later commented on the Rohingya gathering on Wednesday, which saw 44 Rohingya protestors detained for illegal gathering.

Low said the Rohingya should be given a space to express themselves, but they should abide by the laws of the country.

“Malaysia generally upholds free expressions of minority groups.

“(But) we do hope that allowing the Rohingya to speak out here is not misunderstood as Malaysia participating in the process of the Rohingya criticising the (Myanmar) government,” he said.

On Wednesday, over 1,000 ethnic Rohingya gathered in Kuala Lumpur to march to the Myanmar embassy in Jalan Ampang Hilir to hand over a memorandum protesting against the atrocities and killing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.