PKR Youth chief and Bukit Katil MP Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin has described Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria’s labelling the anti-price hike protesters as traitors as the act of someone who does not have a following and is not in touch with the ails of society'.

Defending the protesters, Shamsul Iskandar (below) said they were there to vent their frustrations to the authorities over the price hikes and not overthrow the government.

“In Egypt there was one government religious scholar who decried that people should not protest against the (Hosni Mubarak) government. However, another, Yusof al Qardawi, who has such a huge following, said such protests are allowed against the regime.

“Harussani’s statement today shows that he does not have the ummat (followers). There is nothing wrong in protesting against the government, as to my understanding in Islam, the religion permits it to remind the leaders,” he told Malaysiakini.

The lawmaker was asked to comment on Harussani’s statement as quoted in the Berita Harian daily labelling the protesters as traitors and adding further that their blood can be shed.

Shamsul Iskandar, a lawyer who graduated from International Islamic University, said what is highlighted by the protesters, who are mostly youth on New Year's eve is there is an economic problem following the rising prices.

He said this is in comparison to the wastage done by the government that had been reported in the past at the taxpayers expense.

“Hence, what the protesters are objecting are the continued discrimination by the government in the usage of peoples' funds and the people have the right to comment or criticise the government for this,” he said.

Shamsul Iskandar, who was also among the protesters at the New Year's eve protest, said the demonstration should also be used as a yardstick or a key performance index on how future assemblies should be as it was peaceful without any untoward incidences.

He said the police also provided the leeway and cooperation to the protesters, and the crowd was cooperative. This he added was despite the Kuala Lumpur City Hall decided to stop the stage show.

“The protesters even caught the person who threw the bottle at the stage and handed the person to the authorities. This shows that the police claims of the demonstration to overthrow the government is false,” he said.

Suhaizan : Harussani statement too strong

PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat said the freedom of assembly is enshrined in the federal constitution under Article 10, and as proven the event is not to overthrow the government.

“What the protesters are voicing over the rise of prices which the people are facing and wanting the government to know about the problems they are facing. We are telling the government to be in the correct path and to also assist the people,” he said.

In the gathering, Suhaizan (left, with microphone) said the people have the right to express their views over the price hike.

“I do not agree in classifying the protesters as bughah (Arabic term used to describe Muslims who fight against, or who are traitors to the country's leaders) in this context of democracy unless we are carrying weapons to overthrow the government.

“The demonstration is peaceful and is within the realms of the constitution. What is the problem. I do not agree with Harussani's views as we want the government to resolve the problem of a hike in prices and now we are branded as traitors which is not suitable for the young people,” said the PAS Youth chief.

Suhaizan did not discount the possibility that Harussani could have been misinformed over this as cited by certain quarters including the authorities who painted the demonstration is to overthrow the government.

He said after midnight the protesters immediately left.

The rally attracted some 10,000 people who gathered in protest over the price hike following an increase in tariff and expectant toll hike, after the hike in petrol and sugar prices.