A former lawyer who became a full-time activist in 2010, Haris is known best for starting the “Anything But Umno” (ABU) movement, funded initially from the proceeds from selling off his law library and a farm in Pahang.
His mission to kick Umno out of Putrajaya succeeded at the 14th general election.
These days his focus is on putting out fires.
As master distributor for a local fire-extinguisher company, he helps Malaysians to prevent and fight fires in residential and commercial buildings. The company, Flamoff, produces fire extinguishers and fire retardant material.
Haris said his interest in fire safety was sparked by the Grenfell Tower tragedy in West London of 2017 when 72 people were killed in a 24-storey block of flats that caught fire.
He said his research into fire safety made him realise the danger of fires in buildings, because of the prevalence of more combustible furniture and fittings made with petrochemical materials – and because of apathy.
“Every year, 6,000 buildings in the country are destroyed by fire. Of these, 2,400 are homes. On average, seven families are rendered homeless a day,” he told FMT, adding that 150 people a year die from fire-related injuries.
But for Haris, Flamoff is not just a business but a community service, and that means going to the ground as he has often done before.
“We carry out awareness programmes and develop videos to help people better understand what they should do during a fire and how to prevent them.”
The company, he said, is also working with the Fire and Rescue Department on community programmes, including holding fire safety demonstrations.
His “fight of the people and for the people” is not quite over, after years of activism during which he was teargassed at rallies and also arrested for sedition.
“We still need to fight to return the country and the institutions to the people and do away with draconian laws,” he said.
Haris said that during GE14, the mission was to get Umno out of government but in GE15, the mission is about retaining performing MPs and replacing those who have done poorly.
He said Umno and Barisan Nasional representatives must go, as they have not shown any remorse or willingness to repent after GE14.
“Even those who are now saying progressive things, where were they when BN was in government? Some speak out against Najib Razak now, but why not when he was prime minister? Did they not see what was happening then?” he asked.