Black flags, black clothes, face masks and a word on everyone's lips: "Lawan", "combat" in Malay.

On Saturday July 31, a crowd of young people braved the confinement established two months ago in Malaysia as part of the fight against Covid-19.

Signs in hand, they took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. 

"We are fighting because while people are suffering, this government is busy playing politics," Karmun Loh, a participant in the demonstration, told AFP.

"This government (...) paralyzes the economy and also destroys our democracy," he added.

Muhyiddin Yassin "is a very bad prime minister," said Shaq Koyok, another protester.

"He has to resign."

In the procession on Saturday, the demonstrators unanimously criticized him for stepping up political maneuvers to stay in office, rather than tackling the health crisis.

"The government in failure," read several signs.

"The country is currently experiencing a triple crisis: political, economic and health", summarizes Sophie Lemière, political anthropologist at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia, interviewed by France 24. 

"The government in failure"

"Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed Prime Minister by the King, to everyone's surprise, in March 2020, a few days before the first confinement," recalls the specialist.

"Since assuming this post, he has faced strong hostility from both opposition parties and from some members of his group. Attempts to overthrow have multiplied."

In January 2020, pleading the health crisis, Muhyiddin Yassin decided to establish a state of emergency in the country.

One way to temporarily silence his opponents by freezing parliamentary life. 

But, while the country is currently experiencing its strongest progression of the epidemic since the spring of 2020, despite strict health rules and successive confinements, discontent is only growing against the Prime Minister.

In total, the country has recorded nearly 1.1 million cases, more than 8,900 deaths and currently has more than 17,000 daily cases.

Young people hit hard by the health crisis

Young people are hit hard by the health crisis.

"Even before the Covid-19 crisis, the situation was difficult for them," explains Sophie Lemière.

"The unemployment rate is high among young graduates and the few jobs available are often unskilled," she continues. 

With the pandemic, the situation has deteriorated further.

"The majority of young people have been deprived of their odd job. The students have found themselves isolated with the obligation to take online courses", lists the specialist, noting "a strong psychological distress". 

Several associations have also alerted to waves of suicides on university campuses, in a country where attempting to end one's life is still considered illegal.

According to the local newspaper "Free Malaysia Today", the police recorded among the population 468 suicides on July 1, against 631 for the whole of 2020. 

In the demonstrations, in addition to their political demands, some young people were calling for a moratorium to freeze student loan repayments.

The black flags that flooded the streets on Saturday as a sign of protest, have also come to replace white flags, hung on the windows since the end of June to signal when a family needs help, especially food.

The fly the white flag campaign to help desperate households in need of help or assistance during the current # COVID19 pandemic is fast becoming a trend in Malaysia.

It is believe the campaign started following reports of increasing suicide cases in the country #benderaputih pic.twitter.com/TM6bB6CIEl

- Kuala Lumpur Reporter (@KL_Reporter) June 29, 2021

The beginnings of a more structured movement?

If these demonstrations brought together only 1000 people according to the associations, 500 according to the police, they are not trivial. "They have a strong symbolic value", insists Sophie Lemière. "In Malaysia, young people are not at all encouraged to get involved in political life. Quite the contrary. They are rather dissuaded from doing so. For example, political associations at the university are strictly prohibited," he explains. -she. 

"Without a doubt, without the pandemic context, the mobilization would have been much more important," she also believes.

Before taking to the streets, black flags first appeared on social networks, in the form of emojis.

And online, the movement has grown, especially on Twitter.

The protesters are also multiplying the messages under the keyword #Lawan, fighting in Malay.  

"We stand for those who cannot" #Lawan pic.twitter.com/6nrdlbisWj

- Norman Goh (@imnormgoh) August 1, 2021

"It will be interesting to see if we are, precisely, at the beginnings of a more structured youth movement," asks Sophie Lemière. 

"The country is sinking into a political crisis"

Political tension escalated further on August 2 when Malaysian MPs were barred from sitting in parliament.

An extraordinary session was to take place despite the state of emergency, but it was canceled at the last moment at the request of the Prime Minister, citing a case of Covid-19 in the building.

The decision immediately provoked the ire of the opposition, who denounce an excuse to evade a vote that could bring down the government. 

Several deputies, including two great rivals in Malaysian politics, Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim, have in turn demonstrated to demand the resignation of the Prime Minister.

They were quickly stopped by the shields of the police. 

"Even when people condemn him, he shamelessly resists and refuses to resign," Mahathir Mohammad, 96-year-old former prime minister, told reporters.

"The country continues to sink into a major political crisis ...", considers Sophie Lemière.

"The Prime Minister is clearly in an ejection seat. The whole question is how long he will manage to maneuver to stay in office."

Only elections could calm the tensions, but these have been postponed indefinitely due to the health context.

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