KUALA LUMPUR: Taxi driver Norazlan Ismail, who is on a mission to push for targeted Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawal, arrived in the city last night.
He walked for five days and covered a total of 312km in the lone journey that started in Skudai toll plaza, Johor Baru.
The 49-year-old man said the reason he embarked on the arduous journey during the fasting month of Ramadan was to send a message to the leaders that the people, like himself, were struggling and in need of aid.
"I see this as a way for people like me who need targeted withdrawal of the EPF to settle our debts.
"I'm grateful that throughout the journey, many people offered to help by giving money and a ride, but I had to refuse them because that was not my objective.
"If I hitch a ride, I might as well just take the bus.
"I want our leaders to see this and thankfully, I finally got here and even received a souvenir from Tuanku (Yang di-Pertuan Agong)... which means that although we haven't met, the King knows I'm here," he said, when met at Gate 3 of the Istana Negara.
He was accompanied by Tasek Gelugor member of Parliament Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan and representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who were there to handover a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Wan Saiful said he didn't expect to meet Norazlan and had been planning to submit the memorandum on the EPF issue since the middle of last month.
"Three NGOs; Pertubuhan Gagasan Inovasi Rakyat (PGIRM), Muslim Consumer Association of Malaysia (PPIM) and Global Human Right Federation approached me about a month ago seeking help to forward the memorandum.
"Coincidentally, Norazlan started his walk on March 28 and we met today. I am afraid that if he continue to walk, it could turn into a gathering without permit, so I ask him to join us here," he said.
Norazlan started his journey at 10pm on March 28 with the believe that the walk was the only way to get the government's attention on the need to implement the targeted EPF withdrawal.