Youth goes on hunger strike over climate change
A man has embarked on a hunger strike in front of Parliament to draw attention towards climate change and an impending existential crisis.
Wong Chang Fu, 21, who had just completed his law degree in the UK, said he wanted Malaysians to reflect upon how they are treating the natural world and hope Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin would accept his document titled "Some Green Thoughts"...
A man has embarked on a hunger strike in front of Parliament to draw attention towards climate change and an impending existential crisis.
Wong Chang Fu, 21, who had just completed his law degree in the UK, said he wanted Malaysians to reflect upon how they are treating the natural world and hope Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin would accept his document titled "Some Green Thoughts".
He also wanted the government to declare a climate emergency.
"At this stage, I strike not with the view of dying, but am prepared to sacrifice. I will stop the hunger strike if my demands are met.
"I strongly believe in strength in numbers. Join the movement now. The address is Jalan Parlimen," he wrote on his Facebook page.
When contacted by Malaysiakini, Wong said global warning was at a critical stage, pointing to the recent report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report last year which is better known as SR1.5.
Wong said he was inspired by Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion.
He believed that climate change was even more urgent than human rights because the cause was backed by science and not ideology.
"The main reason for declaring a climate emergency is to communicate to the general public the urgency and the seriousness of the issue we are facing," he said.
Wong plans to carry out his strike between 10.30am and 7pm every day until his "demands" are met.
"For now, I'm only drinking water. I will continue the struggle until my demands are met," he said.
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