Two civil society groups, Bersih and Gabungan Gerakan Mahasiswa, gathered outside Parliament to hand over memorandums to parliamentary representatives today.

Muhammad Amirul Amin and Sharifah I’nur, speaking as representatives of the student activist group Gabungan Gerakan Mahasisw, suggested methods to combat the recent inflation.

“To overcome the lack of supply of chicken, the government has to use ‘contract farming’ on a bigger scale.

“This would help small and medium-sized farms to produce more chicken and also cause a growth of farmers among the youth,” said Sharifah outside Parliament today.

Additionally, the group called for the government to introduce a tax system for the rich.

“Neighbouring countries like Singapore have used this tax system, and they have also increased the tax after the pandemic by one percent,” they said.

The student activists also suggested that the government perform periodic spot checks on factories and businesses that produce and sell cooking oil.

“This is to prevent the creation of syndicates hoarding cooking oil,” said Amirul.

Meanwhile, Bersih’s memorandum called for parliamentary independence.

“Besides functioning as a legislative and forming laws, the Parliament also functions as a check and balance system to control the executive body.

“To allow Parliament to do this without disruption from the government, Parliament should be given its own autonomy and finances,” said Bersih chairperson Thomas Fann.

Bersih handed over their memorandum to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

Bersih hands over their memorandum to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar

Upon receiving the memorandum, Junaidi expressed how the suggestions contained were something close to his heart.

“To be honest with you, this matter (reform of Parliament) is very close to my heart.

“From 2010 till 2011, I was involved in trying to enforce this, but we could not fully do it.

“But thank God, I am now in a strategic position to do so, and just yesterday, I received the approval from the speakers of Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara to reform Parliament,” he said.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed, who was also present to receive the memorandum, declared that he would do everything in his power to support and promote the request.

“I will do my best to support and promote this request (from Bersih), as this is my duty as a member of Parliament,” he said.

Other MPs present were former education minister Maszlee Malik, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii and Subang MP Wong Chen.