Between solidarity in #KitaLawan and ‘solidarity’ in Umno

The turnout for the March 7 #KitaLawan rally in solidarity with jailed PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was beyond expectations.

PAS, which is popularly known as the best among the opposition political parties when it comes to mobilising crowds to participate in a street rally, reportedly did not issue any statement to gather their members to join the rally in Sogo.

As for the DAP, secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urged all elected Pakatan Rakyat (PR) representatives in Penang to attend to their duties in Penang instead of attending the rally. His reason is that the weekend was the start of the handing out of the appreciation award for senior citizens, during which the assemblypersons should be present to hand out the awards.

Lim was quoted as saying, “It is a people’s programme, so we need to treat that as a priority.” But later on Lim claimed that the media has twisted his statement.

However, on the ground, some PAS and DAP leaders were seen to participate in the rally. For example, PAS election director Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, and PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kayat were seen giving their support at the rally for Anwar and PKR.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who is famously known as the key person when it comes to mobilisation is overseas. Although not being able to attend the rally in Kuala Lumpur, he chose to attend the London solidarity rally.

Conventionally, it is never easy to predict the turnout in any rally.

The number that attended the #KitaLawan is far from the numbers that participated during the 1998 Reformasi demonstrations and in other more recent street rallies, such as Bersih 2007, 2010 and 2011 and Hindraf 2007.

However, what is laudable is the support that is pouring in for PKR and, most importantly, the sentiment of dissenting voices against injustice.

The turnout is a boost to PKR’s spirit and a slap in the face to Umno.

So, what actually triggered the people to participate in the #KitaLawan rally despite the lack of endorsements from the other component parties in the PR?

It is solidarity. Solidarity is forged typically through political struggle, which seeks to challenge any form of suppression.

#KitaLawan proves that solidarity is not an illusion, as those on the ground also comprised those from civil society, who are simply concerned with the future of this country.

The makings of such solidarity have frequently been marginalised and actively silenced. But what we witnessed in #KitaLawan rally asserts their importance.

Another significant development is that like Bersih in the past, the #KitaLawan rally has to go beyond the transnational boundaries as it also received support abroad. Cities around the world showed solidarity with the #KitaLawan rally with protests planned in Adelaide, Canberra, Geneva, London, Melbourne, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Taipei and Washington DC.

All these efforts are more than enough to showcase that solidarity as a practice can be forged from the ground.

Working-class groups, movements and individuals, can powerfully shape such types of solidarity. This is exactly what took place on March 7.

Interestingly, the photos in many mainstream news reports showcasing the support from Umno division chiefs, all of whom were seen raising a placard with the words “Solidariti bersama Presiden Umno” (Solidarity with Umno president) during the meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday proved that solidarity could also be an illusion.

It is quite clear that the kind of “solidarity” in the #KitaLawan rally and the one that Najib had with Umno division chiefs are simply not the same. – March 9, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.