A newly formed anti-fuel hike coalition is seeking to mobilise a record one million people for a mammoth rally at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre next month.

The rally was originally planned for July 12 but was brought forward to July 5 for tactical reasons, said its organisers.

The People's Anti-Oil Manipulation Movement (Geramm) - a coalition of NGOs and Pakatan Rakyat youth groups which was officially launched today - also planned to collect one million signatures to petition the government to slash the oil price.

According to Geramm, the signatures will be obtained during its nationwide road shows beginning tomorrow.

geramm pc petrol price hike group 120608 03 Announcing this today, PKR youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin also welcomed other youth groups, including those from Barisan Nasional (BN), to combine forces and influence the government to return fuel prices back to pre-June 4 prices.

Last week the government announced a massive fuel hike - petrol prices were increased by 41 percent and diesel 63 percent - in response to surges in global oil prices.

"If they (other youth groups) care for the welfare of the people, then this is a non-partisan platform to pressure the government to revoke (the oil hike) and concede that lower-income people are struggling and suffering," said Shamsul at a press conference in Petaling Jaya.

A big protest against the fuel hike, targeting about 10,000 people, is being planned in Kuala Lumpur for tomorrow after Friday prayers. Several other smaller protests have already taken place nationwide after the fuel hike announcement.

Describing the fuel hike as ‘insane', Shamsul derided the government's announcement on Monday of a 10 percent cut in the entertainment allowance of ministers as he felt it did not cut even five percent of the total benefits received by cabinet members.

"The problem is that while Malaysia is among the major oil producers in Southeast Asia, we still don't know how much of Petronas' profits go back to the people.

"At a time when infrastructure and public facilities, especially transport, is still outdated, the people are forced to tighten their belts," said Shamsul.

Expensive submarines

Citing the government's 2002 agreement to purchase two Scorpene-class submarines which was accompanied with a RM540 million payment to a private consultant, Shamsul said just one submarine is equivalent to the building of 90,000 low-cost homes, 110 schools and 45 hospitals.

The RM540 million ‘commission', meanwhile, was enough to sponsor 1,000 students to study medicine overseas, provide for half of Kelantan's budget and allow for one year free access on the tolled North-South Plus highway, Shamsul added.

"The Prime Minister continues to lie to the people with the claim that the price of petrol in Malaysia is still among the lowest in the region, but ignores the fact that the comparison is with non-oil producing countries like Thailand and Singapore," he said.

"Even the per capita income of Singaporeans is far ahead by as much as five times ours (per capita)," Shamsul added.

He added that a memorandum on the issue will be forwarded to Parliament when it resumes on June 23.

Speaking on the subject of tomorrow's protests, Shamsul said on-going discussions are being held with the police to prevent any untoward incidents.

"I think the police will give their cooperation, because they themselves are affected (by the increased fuel prices)," he said.

Adding to this, PAS youth secretary Ahmad Sabki Yusof said the Dang Wangi district police have already been ‘officially informed' about tomorrow's gathering.

Police roadblocks

geramm pc petrol price hike group 120608 02 PKR vice youth chief Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainudin, meanwhile, said the Geramm roadshows will include fuel hike protests at mosques and other houses of worship.

June 20 and June 27, in particular, will see protests being held at several major mosques in Selangor and Federal Territory, Khairul added.

And on Saturday night, the anti-fuel hike roadshow will start in Seremban with a ceramah, with some 3,000 people expected to attend.

Tomorrow's protest in Kuala Lumpur will begin at the Kampung Baru mosque with the crowd slowly marching towards KLCC, some three kilometres away. Organisers are expecting a crowd of about 10,000.

In another development, Kuala Lumpur police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman was reported today to have said that between 1,500 to 2,000 police, volunteer security corps Rela and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel will be deployed to stop the demonstration in Kampung Baru tomorrow.

Muhammad Sabtu said the security forces will be directed to stop the procession from Kampung Baru to KLCC.

"We will close several roads leading to the (mosque) area if necessary," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Watch a 4-min clip of the press conference here .