Latest news with #PeacefulAssemblyAct
The Age
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
‘Budget Bjelke-Petersen': Organiser lashes lord mayor as court blocks Story Bridge protest
A protest organiser has labelled Brisbane's lord mayor 'budget Bjelke-Petersen' after a protest that would have shut down all six traffic lanes on the Story Bridge during peak hour was blocked by a court ruling. Protesters had lodged a notice of intention of the protest on May 20, making it an authorised action under the Peaceful Assembly Act, for a one-hour walk across the bridge on Friday from 8am to draw attention to their calls for Brisbane City Council to allocate one car lane to pedestrian, cyclist and scooter traffic while the footpaths were repaired. The Story Bridge footpaths – used by about 4000 walkers, bike and scooter riders daily – were closed on March 5, with reports later revealing parts of the bridge were an 'extreme risk' to the public, while council has called for cash from the state and federal governments to restore it. Mediation efforts last week failed, and police took the matter to Brisbane Magistrates Court, with the support of the council. Prosecutor Acting Senior Sergeant Donna Kay said closing the bridge during peak hour would cause 'mass disruption'. In making his ruling, magistrate Ross Mack pointed to disruptions for thousands of commuters if the protest went ahead. Kathryn Good, who lodged notice of the protest and was self-represented, told the court she understood the protest would cause disruption, but pointed to numerous other times the Story Bridge was shut, including for seven hours this Sunday for the Brisbane Marathon. Mack asked a Brisbane City Council solicitor when the footpaths would be reopened, and he replied: 'I don't have those instructions'. A business case for the full bridge restoration is not due until 2027, but the council plans to work on a temporary footpath replacement first.
Sydney Morning Herald
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Budget Bjelke-Petersen': Organiser lashes lord mayor as court blocks Story Bridge protest
A protest organiser has labelled Brisbane's lord mayor 'budget Bjelke-Petersen' after a protest that would have shut down all six traffic lanes on the Story Bridge during peak hour was blocked by a court ruling. Protesters had lodged a notice of intention of the protest on May 20, making it an authorised action under the Peaceful Assembly Act, for a one-hour walk across the bridge on Friday from 8am to draw attention to their calls for Brisbane City Council to allocate one car lane to pedestrian, cyclist and scooter traffic while the footpaths were repaired. The Story Bridge footpaths – used by about 4000 walkers, bike and scooter riders daily – were closed on March 5, with reports later revealing parts of the bridge were an 'extreme risk' to the public, while council has called for cash from the state and federal governments to restore it. Mediation efforts last week failed, and police took the matter to Brisbane Magistrates Court, with the support of the council. Prosecutor Acting Senior Sergeant Donna Kay said closing the bridge during peak hour would cause 'mass disruption'. In making his ruling, magistrate Ross Mack pointed to disruptions for thousands of commuters if the protest went ahead. Kathryn Good, who lodged notice of the protest and was self-represented, told the court she understood the protest would cause disruption, but pointed to numerous other times the Story Bridge was shut, including for seven hours this Sunday for the Brisbane Marathon. Mack asked a Brisbane City Council solicitor when the footpaths would be reopened, and he replied: 'I don't have those instructions'. A business case for the full bridge restoration is not due until 2027, but the council plans to work on a temporary footpath replacement first.
Borneo Post
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Govt urged to stop weaponising laws against voices of UMS students
KOTA KINABALU (May 24): Amnesty International Malaysia has urged the government to drop all investigations against six students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) who were summoned to the Kota Kinabalu district police headquarters (IPD) for investigations under Section 500 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (1998). Its Interim Executive Director, Vilasini Vijandran, said the investigation of thebstudent activists is a deeply concerning attack on freedom of expression. Peacefully voicing criticisms and making demands through a press conference should never be treated as criminal offenses. 'The timing of these investigations — just weeks ahead of the Perhimpunan Aman Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 rally in Kota Kinabalu — also sends a chilling message of intimidation by the Malaysian authorities. The Madani government must recognize that targeting student activists in this way not only suppresses youth voices but also risks fostering a culture of fear and self-censorship among them,' she said in a statement on Saturday. Vilasini said a moratorium on investigations under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) is meaningless if authorities continue to rely on other repressive laws to stifle civic participation. 'This incident proves why amending the PAA alone is not enough — without systemic reforms and genuine respect for human rights, there will always remain ways to clamp down on public dissent. 'We urge the government to drop all investigations against the UMS students and commit to comprehensive legislative reforms that protect — not punish — peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. At this juncture, we need more than vague promises and minor amendments to legislation; we need the political will and systemic reform to dismantle the arsenal of laws used to silence public dissent in Malaysia,' she said. On May 22, the six UMS student activists were summoned to IPD Kota Kinabalu following a police report lodged against them. The students are being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code (defamation) and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (improper use of network facilities) after holding a press conference related to the upcoming Perhimpunan Aman Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 rally, scheduled for June 21–22 in Kota Kinabalu. This is not the first time UMS student activists have been targeted. In February 2025, UMS student leader Fadhil Kasim was charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) — for failing to provide prior notice of an assembly — despite the government's earlier pledge to reform the law. The charges were later dropped following widespread pressure mounted by the public and civil society groups. Amnesty International Malaysia has repeatedly highlighted how the use of outdated laws to investigate and harass activists in Malaysia reflects a broader pattern of repression and undermines the credibility of the government's own reform commitments.
The Star
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Students gear up for ‘Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0' rally amid political tensions
KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student group Suara Mahasiswa is planning to stage a second anti-corruption rally titled 'Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0' next month. Its president Muhamad Fadhil Muhamad Kasim said the rally aims to uphold integrity and demand accountability from state leaders and institutions. 'We are launching this second rally following unresolved corruption scandals involving Sabah state assemblymen, persistent infrastructure failures such as water, electricity and road issues, and recent integrity crises surrounding high-level appointments,' he said in a live video on Saturday (May 17). He said the event is scheduled to take place on June 21 and 22 here, with the specific location to be announced five days before the assembly after police are notified, in accordance with the Peaceful Assembly Act. 'The last time we held a rally, a carnival was also held near our location. Students are constantly told to use the 'proper channels' and remain polite, but our concerns, from the prolonged water crisis at UMS to rising tuition fees, are left unaddressed. This time, the student group is making four key demands, the first was for UMS to take the Sabah Water Department to court over its alleged failures, secondly for full separation of powers in the appointment of the Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner, thirdly for tougher anti-corruption laws, and the last is to oppose the reappointment of the state Governor. In response to the planned gathering, Gagasan Rakyat information chief Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar urged the students to refrain from being manipulated by political actors and warned that the rally could cause public unrest. 'Street protests are not the way to resolve issues, especially in the lead-up to the state elections. 'We advise students not to become tools for those with hidden political agendas,' he said. Zulkarnain also defended the government's handling of infrastructure and economic challenges, stating that efforts are ongoing to address the people's concerns. 'If students are sincere, they should engage constructively with the government, not create provocations that could disrupt peace,' he said, adding that such actions could backfire and harm the credibility of UMS and its student body.
Malaysiakini
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Lawyer rebukes Fahmi's 'misleading' statement on PAA 'applications'
A law expert has slammed Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil for misinterpreting legal provisions under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012. In particular, lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan took issue with Fahmi's recent claim that 99 percent of 'applications' under the PAA to hold peaceful assemblies between 2022 and 2024 were approved.
