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Parlimen Digital representatives contacted by police, says organisers

Local media reported that several representatives from the Parlimen Digital initiative have been contacted by the police after their virtual Parliament sitting ended today. — Picture via Twitter/Parlimen Digital MY
Local media reported that several representatives from the Parlimen Digital initiative have been contacted by the police after their virtual Parliament sitting ended today. — Picture via Twitter/Parlimen Digital MY

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Several representatives from the youth-led Parlimen Digital initiative have been contacted by the police after their virtual Parliament sitting ended today, Malaysiakini reported.

Organisers claimed that reasons for police contacting them are so far is unclear.

The session, which was planned over two months ago, was today chaired by constitutional lawyer Lim Wei Jiet and ended at around noon with 222 youth representatives passing a motion on the need for the government to launch an economic booster package specifically for youths.

“We don’t know why but they asked for personal details (of the participants) and what’s going on,” a Parlimen Digital secretariat member told the English portal.

Each of the 222 participants were shortlisted from a list of applicants nationwide to represent respective parliamentary constituencies to mirror a real Dewan Rakyat sitting.

Another Parlimen Digital secretariat member, however, said so far none of the organising committee members have been contacted.

Instead, local police from the several parliament constituencies concerned had reached out to the representatives, to at least five out of over 50 who spoke earlier today.

They were allegedly contacted via social media, including through Instagram.

Parlimen Digital is understood to proceed with its second and final session from 9am tomorrow as planned.

This first-ever Parlimen Digital session is organised by three youth-led apolitical organisations namely Challenger Malaysia, Undi18 and Liga Demokratik Malaysia.

The three groups were moved to initiate a demonstration of how Parliament could be conducted via online platforms.

This idea also came after the May 18 Parliament sitting which lasted all of half a day with only observing the King’s address amid Covid-19 concerns.

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