Latest news with #PeacefulAssemblyAct
Focus Malaysia
5 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Rallies are just a game of one-upmanship
FOLLOWING the Federal Court decision that ruled a section of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012 criminalising not giving notice of assemblies to the authorities as unconstitutional, it has been smooth sailing for holding the anti-Anwar Ibrahim rally this Saturday. The police will not be closing any roads in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the rally, and are expecting to have 10,000 to 15,000 participants converging at Dataran Merdeka. However, the actual number may well be swelled by curious onlookers or those out to have some fun. AI created videos of people travelling to and attending the rally, which has yet to take place. These videos have gone viral, and many more videos would follow suit during and after the rally. Just like many fake videos in the past, many viewers would swallow them hook, line and sinker. Similarly, most people accept misinformation and disinformation as truth without realising that statements made by the same politicians often contradict, depending on whether they are in the government or opposition, to retain or gain power for themselves, not the interest of the rakyat. The fact is, there will be little change in our country, regardless of which block of parties are in the government. Many have resigned to the fact that we will be choosing the lesser of two evils come election day. Only the blind and ignorant, and staunch party supporters hoping for handouts, will continue to show support for their leaders, and will try to bring others down, including the sitting prime minister, but could not name a more capable replacement. The turnout for this Saturday's rally could be small, medium or large. If confined to ardent protestors, the number may be insignificant. But it could be swelled by paid protestors or curious onlookers, including foreign and domestic visitors attracted to historic sites around the area. Even if the number is large, made possible by great logistics, it will be a short-lived victory for the organisers and protestors. The other camp is not going to take it lying down and is likely to organise a mammoth pro-Anwar rally to show who is more popular in a game of one-upmanship. If so, this Saturday's rally would not only be an exercise in futility, but could also make Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim more popular than what he is today. As usual, rhetoric may impress the naive, but is more like hot air. ‒ July 25, 2025 YS Chan is master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course and an Asean Tourism Master Trainer. He is also a tourism and transport business consultant. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Scoop/
Free Malaysia Today
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Gathering on assembly law reform turns tense in brief standoff with cops
Rallygoers were involved in a brief standoff with police outside Parliament this morning. KUALA LUMPUR : A gathering calling for the abolition of the Sedition Act and the reform of the Peaceful Assembly Act turned a little tense when a participant was allegedly manhandled by a policeman outside Parliament this morning. Student group Himpunan Advokasi Rakyat Malaysia (Haram) president Brendon Gan, who witnessed the incident, claimed that a policeman grabbed a demonstrator by the neck during a standoff at the barricade. 'Who gave the cops the right to do that?' he asked. 'If it wasn't for YB Syed Saddiq who came to help, who knows what would've happened?,' he said, referring to Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. FMT has contacted the police for comment. The incident occurred as about 50 demonstrators – from electoral reform group Bersih, rights group Suaram, student groups, unions, and several civil society organisations – marched from Taman Tugu to Parliament to hand over a memorandum demanding reforms. They were stopped in the middle of the road by policemen who prevented them from reaching Parliament's gates. Protesters, some of whom turned up as early as 10.30pm despite the downpour, chanted 'long live the people, rise up against oppressive laws!' while beating drums and holding up banners that read 'fight draconian legislation'. The crowd was later met by several MPs and representatives, including Syed Saddiq; Perikatan Nasional's Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal; Teresa Kok, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Dr Kelvin Yii, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Khoo Poay Tiong from Pakatan Harapan; as well as Warisan's Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis. Addressing the crowd, Wan Fayhsal and the other MPs in attendance expressed support for the protesters. 'If I, as a parliamentarian with immunity, can be punished for speaking out, imagine the risks faced by citizens. I will ensure your voices reach the Dewan Rakyat,' Wan Fayhsal said. Yii, the Bandar Kuching MP from DAP, reaffirmed the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, saying it had long been part of Malaysia's democratic tradition. He urged the authorities not to suppress such gatherings but to instead 'facilitate them better', 'A bill will be tabled to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act,' he said. 'I haven't seen the final draft yet, but once I do, I will study it to ensure it includes the necessary reforms. 'Regardless of whether we agree with the message of a demonstration, we must respect their right to assemble.' Several other speakers criticised the government for failing to deliver on its promises to abolish the Sedition Act and ensure meaningful reform of public assembly laws. 'This is not the first time we've submitted a memorandum calling for the Sedition Act to be abolished,' said Bersih chairman Faisal Abdul Aziz. 'We've done it before. Today, we are here to demand that the government listens and acts.' Qistina Johari of Amnesty International Malaysia said peaceful assemblies and freedom of speech were being treated as 'a threat' by the authorities. 'Protests are not criminal. Protests are patriotic,' she said. 'The Sedition Act should have been abolished along with the British Empire — instead it's still being used to protect the powerful.'
New Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Police block march by students, activists to Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: A group of students and activists held a short procession from Taman Tugu Negara to the Parliament building here to call on the government to abolish the Sedition Act and the Peaceful Assembly Act. The group braved the rain and marched about 300 metres before they were stopped by a police cordon on the main road to the Parliament building. The situation turned tense briefly as the group, which intended to march to the main entrance of the Parliament building to present a memorandum to several members of parliament, could not do so. They made a few attempts to move past the police cordon, but failed to make any ground before deciding to wait along the main access way. Eventually, several members of parliament including Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, Theresa Kok and Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, came out to receive the memorandum from them. The gathering, organised by MANDIRI, included activists from Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), Lawyers for Liberty, Bersih, student movements, Amnesty Malaysia, the National Youth Federation, Pusat KOMAS, MUDA, Article 19, the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Justice for Sisters + friends and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ). Led by MANDIRI coordinator Wong Kukui, the group of 30 began marching from Taman Tugu at about 11.10am. Wong later expressed disappointment at being initially prevented by police from handing over the memorandum to members of parliament. "We're disappointed. This shouldn't have happened in the Madani era. We weren't trying to enter Parliament. We just wanted to hand over a memorandum at the gate. "It wasn't our intention to cause trouble. We just wanted to meet with MPs peacefully. We know the people of this country deserve better. They are watching closely. "Freedom of expression is not a privilege, it's a promise to the people," he said. Syed Saddiq said he would attempt to raise the issue brought forward by the movement in Parliament soon. "This is where the people's rights are always defended. My hope is that this isn't just about the Peaceful Assembly Act, but also about the Sedition Act.
New Straits Times
21-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Unpaid community service clause unconstitutional, says Hassan Karim
Slug: izslave HL: Unpaid community service clause unconstitutional, says Hassan Karim Qistina Sallehuddin, Nor Ain Mohamed Radhi KUALA LUMPUR: Government backbencher Hassan Abdul Karim has warned the government against proceeding with a clause in the proposed Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2025 that would allow unpaid community service orders to be imposed, cautioning that such provisions may amount to slavery and breach the Federal Constitution. The Pasir Gudang member of parliament and PKR veteran said the proposed Section 104A(1), which allows a community service order to be made against individuals convicted of violating local council by-laws, contradicts Article 6 of the Constitution, which prohibits slavery and all forms of forced labour. He also pointed out that the section defines community service as work or service that is not paid. "This act (amendment) should not be rushed into approval. After reviewing it, I find that while the intention behind the proposed amendments is good, the method of implementation may contradict existing laws. "From what I understand, work or service that is unpaid and must be carried out as a punishment could amount to practices resembling slavery, servitude, or forced labour. "Referring to dictionaries, the Oxford Language Dictionary, for example, slavery is defined as a condition in which a person is forced to do hard labour without pay or recognition," he said. Hassan also drew parallels to Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, which was enforced for more than a decade before being struck down by the Federal Court for being unconstitutional recently. "This is what concerns me. As such, remove the provision for community service that resembles slavery. "Instead, I propose that a fair and reasonable amount of wages or allowance be made mandatory for community service duties," he said. Similarly, he also called for local government elections, which were once part of the country's system until 1965, to be revived. This follows concerns over the legality of allowing unelected local councils to determine and enforce community service orders under the proposed amendments to existing legislation, he said. "I wish to raise a question regarding the legitimacy or legal authority of local councils to create such by-laws, given that across the country there are 20 city councils, 40 municipal councils, and 91 district councils. "Local authorities comprise mayors, municipal presidents, district council presidents, and appointed councillors, all of whom are not elected by the people. "None of these positions were filled through elections, all were appointed. So is it legally valid for a local authority, such as Kuala Lumpur City Hall, to enact a by-law to determine the type of community service to be implemented?"
Malaysian Reserve
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
Govt respects court ruling, but warns of legal limits ahead of Turun Anwar protest
by HIDAYATH HISHAM THE government respects the Federal Court's ruling that rally organisers are not required to notify police, effectively allowing the Himpunan Turun Anwar protest to proceed on July 26. However, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (picture) stressed that despite parts of the Peaceful Assembly Act being declared unconstitutional, three key restrictions still apply to organisers and participants. 'There are three main prohibitions: No dangerous weapons, no speeches touching on the 3Rs — royalty, religion and race — and no children allowed. 'If these are violated, we will be forced to take action. But don't accuse the police of suppressing freedoms — that would be unfair,' he said at a press conference after the Home Ministry's monthly assembly yesterday. The Turun Anwar protest, organised by Perikatan Nasional (PN), is expected to take place at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur (KL) and draw over 300,000 people from across the country. The gathering is being promoted as a public manifestation to 'save the country' from what organisers describe as worsening conditions under Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership. Saifuddin acknowledged that the protest would pose logistical challenges for the police but assured that it would be managed professionally. 'The rally has been widely publicised. At the same time, the Federal Court has ruled that organisers don't have to notify the police. 'We cannot override the Federal Court's decision. But the police are still responsible for ensuring public safety. 'If organisers had informed the police, we would know the venue and expected turnout. That would help us deploy the appropriate number of officers — not to obstruct, but to facilitate,' he added. Saifuddin also emphasised that the government does not restrict freedom of expression but insisted that public assemblies must remain within legal boundaries and avoid provoking disorder. Earlier this month, the Federal Court unanimously ruled that penalising rally organisers for failing to provide five days' notice was unconstitutional. The five-judge panel, led by former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, made the ruling in a case involving former Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abdul Hadi. Tengku Maimun stated that Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act contravened Articles 8 and 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution. Article 8(1) guarantees equal protection under the law, while Article 10(1)(b) affirms the right to peaceful assembly. Meanwhile, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) said it would not participate in the protest and called on the government not to interfere. Speaking to Utusan Malaysia, Bersih president Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz stressed that the right to assemble must not be hindered by government intervention. 'Bersih will not be directly involved in the rally. Let the party organising it handle the event themselves. 'However, we want the government to refrain from obstructing or interfering with the protest. It is a right protected under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution — the right to peaceful assembly without arms,' he said.
