OVER the past 20 years, Malaysia has experienced a surge in grassroot activism and social movements. These groups comprised determined individuals always ready to unite and take collective action.
StarMetro looks at eight significant movements that have emerged, showcasing the power of collective action and the pursuit of progressive causes, reminding us that rights are precious and must be defended.
1. #StandTogether
In 2017, Malaysia was shaken by a series of tragic and deadly bullying incidents.
Bullying had persisted as a long-standing issue in the country, with no apparent resolution in sight.
However, two organisations, namely The Star’s R.AGE team along with property developer SP Setia decided to take on the challenge of addressing this issue.
Following several weeks of consultations with diverse stakeholders, including students, educators, activists, and civil society organisations, a novel solution was proposed to have the annual #StandTogether National Kindness Week.
The #StandTogether team celebrating kindness with students in 2018.
This campaign shifted the focus from being “anti-bullying” to “pro-kindness.”
Instead of combating bullying, the initiative aimed to promote a culture of kindness and empathy in schools.
Every year during the first week of April, the #StandTogether National Kindness Week launched a year-long kindness initiative in enrolled schools.
Participating schools are encouraged to undertake two tasks, which are initiating student-led “Kindness Projects” to empower students to spearhead a cultural shift towards kindness within their schools, and implementing a minimum of three of the recommended “Kindness Strategies,” that encompass school-wide policy adjustments aimed at nurturing kindness and diminishing instances of bullying.
The campaign also sought to empower young people to become “upstanders” rather than bystanders if they witnessed any act of bullying.
2. Undi18
This started from a student movement under the umbrella of the Malaysian Students’ Global Alliance and evolved into a constitutional amendment towards youth democratic empowerment.
Undi is Malay word for “vote”, and Undi18 is the outcome that successfully advocated for the amendment of Article 119(1) of the Federal Constitution to reduce the minimum voting age in Malaysia from 21 to 18 years old.
Malaysians urging to lower the voters age to 18 years old which was initiated by the Undi18 movement.— Filepics
In July 2019, Undi18 successfully lobbied for the passage of a groundbreaking constitutional amendment to reduce the voting age in Malaysia.
This marked the first time in history where a constitutional amendment received unanimous support with 100% of votes in both the houses of Parliament.
However, in March 2021, the Perikatan Nasional government declared a delay in the enforcement of the revised minimum voting age, pushing it to September 2022 from the initially scheduled date of July 2021.
The first protest occurred on March 27, 2021, in reaction to the postponement of the constitutional amendment passed in 2019.
Undi18 initiated two applications for judicial review, with one group of 18 Malaysian youths in Kuala Lumpur and another group of five youths in Kuching, Sarawak, filing their petitions at the High Courts in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching.
These legal actions aimed to challenge the government’s decision to postpone the implementation of the constitutional amendment.
On Dec 15, 2021, the government effectively enforced the constitutional amendment to reduce the minimum voting age and candidacy eligibility for the Dewan Rakyat, along with the introduction of automatic voter registration.
3. Bersih
Founded in 2005 as an electoral reform committee, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, known as Bersih, swiftly grew into Malaysia’s leading social movement.
It organised five large-scale demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur and worldwide, emerging as a key advocate for electoral reform, anti-corruption, and opposition to authoritarianism.
Participants gathered near Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur for a Bersih rally.
Within an authoritarian system, Bersih transformed into a movement that harnessed Malaysians’ collective grievances, compelling the government to accept electoral reforms.
It also advocates for measures to eliminate the unfair advantage that incumbents receive through gerrymandering, which involves the party in power redrawing electoral boundaries.
Bersih started out as the Joint Action Committee for Electoral Reform, which was formed in July 2005, and the coalition’s objective was to push for a thorough reform of the electoral process in Malaysia.
Bersih issued its first joint official statement on Nov 23, 2006.
The first public demonstration had 40,000 participants in November 2007, where thousands of ordinary Malaysians rallied in support of clean and fair elections, marking a pivotal moment in our nation’s electoral history.
Four subsequent Bersih rallies were held between 2011 and 2016. The rally reached its zenith with half a million participants during the “Bersih 4.0” rally in 2015.
4. White Flag
The white flag, once a symbol of surrender, had transformed into an emblem of hope and togetherness in Malaysia during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
Also called the #benderaputih initiative on social media, it garnered tens of thousands of posts and Malaysians pledging to help those who were in dire need of food and essentials.
The White Flag campaign was launched to help the needy during the Covid-19 pandemic which started in 2020.
People called it a movement by Malaysians for Malaysians.
The movement encouraged people in need of assistance to display a white flag or cloth outside their homes as a signal to alert potential helpers who would identify households facing severe hardships.
This initiative emerged in response to the increasing number of reports about Malaysians being pushed to their limits during the pandemic.
The White Flag movement gained momentum as a symbol of Malaysian solidarity and community support, encouraging volunteers to come forward and help those who raised the white flag.
5. Make Schools a Safer Place
The #MakeSchoolASaferPlace movement ignited in April 2021 after a 17-year-old girl – Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam – made headlines when she lodged a police report against a male teacher who made rape jokes in class.
Subsequently, she was harassed both online and offline, including getting lewd remarks posted on her social media accounts and even rape threats from her schoolmates.
Various NGOs come together to support Ain Husniza in making schools a safer place, especially for young girls.
The #MakeSchoolASaferPlace movement aimed to provide a safe space for former and current victims of sexual harassment.
Less than a month since the initiative launched, there were 270 survivor stories uploaded on the savetheschoolsmy Instagram page.
The movement advocated for changes in school policies and regulations to create a more secure environment for students, including implementing anti-bullying measures and ensuring strict consequences for inappropriate behaviour.
6. Ending Child Marriage
In 2018, Girl Guides Association Malaysia (GGAM) took a leading role in advocating for the prohibition of child marriage, aiming to safeguard generations of vulnerable girls.
They took their campaign to Parliament to present an extensive petition to politicians including ministers, on Nov 13, 2018, where around 40 girls and leaders from GGAM were joined by representatives of various NGOs outside the Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur.
Protesters of child marriage at the “Walk the Talk to End Child Marriage” rally organised by women’s groups.
The petition contained more than 156,000 signatures and was handed to the then deputy Women, Family and Community Development minister Hannah Yeoh.
The Girl Guides wanted the government to close legal loopholes which enabled older men to marry young girls, and the age for marriage to be raised to 18 from the current 16.
The campaign gained momentum and garnered widespread attention with the resounding “Walk the Talk to End Child Marriage” rally organised by Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Body Shop Malaysia and Association of Women Lawyers.
7. Women’s March Malaysia
Women’s March is an annual march to commemorate Women’s Day and aims to raise voices for equality and justice.
The march is to bring people together to call for gender equality, justice and an end to all forms of discrimination against women and girls.
Women’s March Malaysia commemorates Women’s Day to voice out against gender inequality.
It calls for the immediate prohibition of child marriages, the protection of bodily autonomy and freedom of choice, constitutional and legislative reforms to attain gender equality, equitable political representation for marginalised genders at all governance levels, and the establishment of fair labour standards and a living wage.
In March 2022, supporters stood in solidarity for a fair Malaysia with the theme “Rise: Resist a Nod Towards Perseverance and Commitment to Speak the Truth” through a picnic protest.
This movement serves as a powerful catalyst for societal change, encouraging unity and justice among individuals of all genders, and a testament to the unwavering commitment to a Malaysia where women’s rights are upheld.
8. Solidarity with Palestine
On Oct 22, thousands of Malaysians gathered in a peaceful rally at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people and call for an end to the armed strikes by Israeli forces.
Malaysians gathered at the “Freedom for Palestine” rally in Dataran Merdeka.
Supporters, including Palestinian residents and foreigners, gathered as early as 9am for the “Freedom for Palestine” rally organised by the non-governmental organisations Viva Palestina Malaysia and Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCare).
Participants displayed Palestinian flags and anti-war banners accompanied by passionate chants.
Activists representing various religious and secular groups as well as NGOs, delivered speeches advocating for a resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
This rally highlights Malaysia’s commitment towards global peace and justice.
