#RakyatJagaRakyat Trends Online As Netizens Voice Concerns & Frustration On Covid-19

Malaysians taking care of each other.

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It appears that Malaysians are getting behind a new social media hashtag in uniting the people’s voice during the Covid-19 pandemic.

We take care of each other, we take care of our own.#RakyatJagaRakyat
— Delight 🍬 (@fearlesskiki05) September 28, 2020

stay safe everyone 💓 #RakyatJagaRakyat
— 나 (@jpbrinx) September 28, 2020

#RakyatJagaRakyat became trending as netizens shared their concerns and frustrations towards the government’s handling of the coronavirus situation and how politics had pulled attention away from more present concerns.

I don’t like the current situation in Malaysia. Hoping for the best #RakyatJagaRakyat #COVIDー19
— Dr Anas (@HereThereCrack) September 28, 2020

#RakyatJagaRakyat I think it's always been such a situation. Rakyat had better understandings of their responsibilities than politicians.

Let's do it together.
Mask. Sanitizer. Social Distance.
— ɥıɹɐǝʇɥ (@shalzrave) September 28, 2020

The online slogan which translates to “the people takes care of the people”, was also said to have been chosen to replace the popular #KitaJagaKita tagline that had been the go-to catchphrase in the nation’s plight during the plague.

#RakyatJagaRakyat pic.twitter.com/VASjp45I6c
— Business Designer 🇲🇾 (@danielafiq9____) September 28, 2020

Politikus makin mengarut #RakyatJagaRakyat pic.twitter.com/Ewn37A297H
— Firnaøn Stay At Home (@ZoulFitrie) September 28, 2020

Many even accused the government of hijacking the more established hashtag – the one with its own custom Twitter emoji – to supplement its own propaganda.

Since #kitajagakita has been hijacked by the ruling party and became political slogan, lets do #RakyatJagaRakyat.
— Nunu ❤ #RakyatJagaRakyat (@KyaryHime) September 28, 2020

Remember when #kitajagakita was first initiated then it got sailang-ed by politicians. trust me #RakyatJagaRakyat will get sailang-ed later. Politicians will remind the rakyat that they too, are rakyat. Watch this space.
— sofwan (@sofwanYusoff) September 29, 2020

The #KitaJagaKita slogan, meaning “we take care of each other”, was believed to have also stemmed from public grievances during the early days of the pandemic.

Notably, the phrase was mentioned by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his special address to the nation announcing the extension of the Movement Control Order (MCO) period in April 2020, and also frequently used in most government public service announcements (PSA).

Kita ibarat sebuah keluarga besar. Kita saling membantu ketika zaman susah. Kita jaga keluarga kita. Kita jaga jiran kita. Kita jaga masyarakat kita. Baik kita di kampung, di kawasan perumahan, di kondominium, di rumah flat. Kita jaga kita. Inilah nilai sebenar persaudaraan rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira bangsa (We are like a family. We help each other in times of struggle. We take care of our family, We take care of our neighbours. We take care of our community. When we go home to our villages, housing areas, condominiums, flats. We take care of each other. This is the true value of Malaysians, kinship regardless of race)…
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin during his speech on April 10.

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