SHAH ALAM, 18 Jan: The actions of several demonstrators who used a replica of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, stuffed with ‘kangkung’ (water spinach) as a symbol of protest against the rising costs was defended by the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Citing Malaysia Kini, Anwar said that the ‘kangkung’ flash mob organised by the Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon was not as bad as the butt-dancing by a group of veteran soldiers in front of the former coordinator of Bersih, Datuk S Ambiga’s house in 2012.
He said that Umno Youth and Malay rights group Perkasa have been insulting Pakatan Rakyat leaders but few had protested.
“How come there was no protest when the butt dance happened? Is the act right from the aspect of religion or (moral) behaviour?”
“You cannot defend that (butt dance) compared to what (Lee) Khai Loon did,” he said during a visit to Sungai Lembu yesterday.
On Wednesday, about 15 people joined the flash mob to protest against growing inflation, where bundles of the green leafy kangkung was stuffed into the gaping mouth of a replica of Najib made from styrofoam.
Umno leaders have bandied together to condemn Lee for being “rude, childish, having low mentality, and conduct unbecoming of an assemblyman” for ridiculing the country’s number one leader, demanding an apology for his actions.
On 12 January, Najib, in his speech, said that the federal government has never been praised when the price of goods dropped.
Using kangkung as an example, he said that prices of vegetables such as kangkung has decreased by Putrajaya did not receive any praise.
His statement was broadcast on the local television channel TV3 and was uploaded onto YouTube, sparking criticism from users of social networking sites where mostly expressed Najib’s ignorance in using the cost of a vegetable that grows wild at the roadside as an example that the government understands the troubles of the people.
Since then, the kangkung statement has spread wide on social sites where some uploaded videos, pictures, parodies, jokes and flash mobs mocking Najib.