Man Goes On Hunger Strike At TTDI With 5 Demands For A Better Response To Our Situation

By Charmaine Shaharin  •  05 Aug 2021 in News

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As the state of the pandemic worsens in Malaysia, a whirlwind of events has surfaced during the past few days which includes the #LAWAN protest, arrest of activists and lastly, the march of opposition MPs calling for PM Mahiaddin resignation.

Recently, another activist known as Nathaniel Tan has announced on Facebook that he will be undergoing a hunger strike for the greater good of society, specifically to demand for a better healthcare system and better rights for frontliners.

According to Nathaniel’s Facebook post, he will be carrying out his hunger strike at the corner of Jalan Rahim Kajai and Lorong Rahim Kajai 14 in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, which is only a short distance from his house.

He has no plans on ending his strike until his five demands are met. He demands are:

1. Allowing all decision making regarding Covid 19 issues to be passed on to public policy experts along with opening up the parliament again as fast as possible.
2. Preparing RM500 million for medical supplies to be given to hospitals that are undergoing Covid-19 care.
3. Allowing all medical frontliners to speak freely and be transparent regarding the Covid-19 situation on hospital grounds whilst publishing all Covid-19 statistics and data immediately, straight from the source without any form of manipulation and censorship.
4. To publish and list down all down companies that have been forcing their employees to come into work when working from home is available.
5. Free N95 masks and sanitisers should be given to hospitals and police stations for free.

Nathaniel said that the need for change is vital and he can no longer sit around and live a normal life as many of our citizens are having it tough. “Mahatma Gandhi brought the British Empire to its knees without firing a single shot. He followed two simple principles: Never submit, and never harm another. Maybe we cannot achieve what he achieved (or maybe we can), but we can do as he did,” he said in his Facebook post.

He also continued apologise for the inconvenience and stress that he will cause towards his friends and family but still firmly believes that he cannot sit by idly.

“It is insane to act sane in a time of insanity,” he said.

Although Nathaniel’s effort was disrupted by the police as revealed by Facebook user Khalid Mohd Ismath, he has also received encouragement from netizens standing in solidarity with him.

Today is Day 2 of Nathaniel’s strike. His wife, Debbie Chow, has urged the public who support Nathaniel’s movement to raise awareness, learn more about the plight of hospitals and frontliners and encourage frontliners to share their experiences honestly and without fear during these trying times.

For those who are looking into donating, Debbie also shared some bank accounts that belong to NGOs that are seeking Covid-19 funds.

If you would like to know more about Nathaniel’s journey, check out this YouTube…