Demonstrators condemn cops for blocking protest at Parliament
Incidentally, one of the memoranda calls for reforms to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, while the other urged a repeal of the Sedition Act 1948.
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New Straits Times
14 hours ago
- New Straits Times
No 3R offences reported at opposition rally, says home minister
KULIM: The Home Ministry has yet to receive any reports of 3R (religion, race, and royalty) violations, or under any other laws, following the peaceful assembly organised by the opposition in the capital yesterday. Its minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, said the rally proceeded smoothly and was well managed by police. It's a testament to the Madani government's commitment to upholding the freedom of assembly, he added. "As of this morning, I have not received any feedback from police regarding any reports or complaints about breaches of existing laws, including 3R-related issues. "But clearly, this is the clearest proof—a shining example—that the Madani government is truly upholding the freedom of assembly as guaranteed by the Constitution. "The police, in turn, maintained order with full responsibility and professionalism," he told reporters after the People's Volunteer Corps Department (Rela) anniversary celebration at Dataran Kulim in Kedah today. Saifuddin also criticised the organisers for failing to clearly remind participants not to bring underage children to the rally, as this is prohibited under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. "This Act outlines three main responsibilities. The police act as facilitators, organisers must not provoke issues related to race, religion, or the monarchy, and participants are not allowed to carry dangerous weapons or bring underage children. "Yesterday, some participants were unaware or not informed. The organisers merely called on people to gather in large numbers without saying that bringing children was prohibited. That is a legal offence," he said. Commenting further, Saifuddin challenged the opposition to not just stage weekly rallies but instead present better policies to rival those implemented by the government. He said that when it comes to the cost of living, the Madani government had already introduced clear measures, including increasing cash aid and lowering fuel prices by six sen and it is now time for the opposition to present their alternatives. "If you disagree with the government's policies, present your own welfare policies. If you think six sen is insufficient, state how much you would reduce it by, what mechanism you would use. Let the people compare. "We present policies and programmes, while they respond with insults and emotional politics. This deprives the people of a fair chance to assess. We reject this kind of dirty politics," he said. He said the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan debate in Parliament next week would be the best platform for the opposition to demonstrate their ability as an alternative bloc. "The people want to see ideas and policy offerings, not just street shouting. The opportunity is wide open. Present your policies in Parliament and let the people judge," he said.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Saifuddin: Opposition resorting to rally due to lack of support for no-confidence vote
ALOR STAR: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has taken a swipe at the opposition for choosing street demonstrations over parliamentary channels to express their dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said Anwar had offered the opposition a democratic platform in the Dewan Rakyat, including a commitment to prioritise any motion of no confidence brought against him. "The prime minister has said he will instruct the speaker to give priority to any no-confidence motion against him. "So the ball is on the opposition's court. "He even said that the government's motions would be postponed to allow such a motion. "But it's already the fifth day of the sitting and there's just silence," he said at a press conference after opening the police's new Child Interview Centre in Derga here today. Saifuddin said the opposition's inaction in Parliament indicated it lacked the necessary support to topple the government through legitimate means and instead resorted to public provocation. "If the opposition truly understands and respects the democratic process, the proper channel to remove a leader is through Parliament. But why haven't they (the opposition) done so? "The reality is, they don't have the numbers... only support within their own circle," he said. Saifuddin said the government had not obstructed public gatherings and stressed that the right to assemble peacefully is enshrined in the Federal Constitution. "They want to assemble, give speeches, go ahead. "But under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, certain provisions remain in effect. "For instance, children are not allowed at such gatherings, and dangerous items are prohibited. "If they get carried away, lighting flares and the like, then the police have no choice but to enforce the law," he said. He questioned the opposition's true motives, suggesting they were more focused on stirring public unrest and tarnishing the country's image than pursuing constructive political discourse. "They say Anwar must go down. But Anwar has already made fuel prices go down. "They say he (still) must go down, yet electricity tariffs have gone down too. "Still, they can't wait for his term to end and are desperate to remove him now. "So the people must decide: do they want democracy to prevail, or are we allowing chaos to take centre stage? "At a time when the economy is showing signs of recovery, do we want to spook investors with unrest and instability? Be a responsible opposition," he said. The Pas-led rally is held today at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur to demand Anwar's resignation. Police anticipate a turnout of between 10,000 and 15,000 people at the event.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
July 26 rally: Impromptu stage taken down by DBKL for safety reasons, according to police
Photo: AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star KUALA LUMPUR: An impromptu stage that was erected by the "Turun Anwar" protesters was taken down by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). 'The stage structure did not guarantee safety, and we were not informed how many people would be on it. The preliminary agreement between police and the organiser was that two Toyota Hilux would be used as the stage,' acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad said when contacted. The stage, which had been set up at Dataran Merdeka, was taken down by DBKL around 11.20am. More than 2,000 policemen have been stationed at all key gathering points, including Sogo shopping mall, Masjid Jamek, Masjid Negara and Pasar Seni, from 11am. The rally is anticipated to draw 15,000 participants and is expected to march to Dataran Merdeka at 2pm. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail previously said police would facilitate the rally following a Federal Court ruling on July 1 that struck down Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 as unconstitutional, meaning organisers are no longer legally required to notify authorities in advance.
