KUALA LUMPUR – Parliament should welcome the protest held by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) tomorrow, as some of the current lawmakers had previously joined rallies by the electoral watchdog, said a reform group.
In a statement, Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama) said it hopes the police will facilitate the peaceful gathering instead of taking legal action against the protesters.
“A warm welcome of the Bersih protesters by Parliament and professional facilitation by the police tomorrow will demonstrate that Malaysia is a liberal democracy under the ideal of Madani, championed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, (who is) yet another former participant in Bersih rallies,” it said.
Projek Sama said that Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul – who had joined previous Bersih rallies as a member of the then-opposition – as well as new Dewan Negara president Datuk Mutang Tagal, can take this opportunity to show that Malaysia Madani is a politically mature society where petitioning citizens will be welcomed, not assaulted, arrested, or harassed.
It said doing so would showcase Johari’s vision of making the Parliament a people-friendly institution that moves in line “with the aspirations of the people.”
Projek Sama also urged Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, also a former Bersih rally participant, to uphold the rule of law and protect the professional image of the police.
The group implored Saifuddin to provide training for senior police officers regarding the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012, with advice from legal experts in the National Human Rights Commission, as well as the legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department.
It said that the police have not updated their understanding of the PAA since 2014.
Projek Sama pointed to Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid’s recent warning to protesters on the grounds that Bersih had not given any notice to the police, as required under Section 9(1) of PAA.
“He has done so despite being clearly aware of Bersih’s plans to gather protesters at Plaza Tugu Negara at 8am tomorrow (February 27) and then march to Parliament, which is but a few hundred metres away,” the group said.
Projek Sama also noted that on April 25, 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled that Section 9(1) of the PPA is unconstitutional in a case against Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
The group said this ruling was again affirmed by the Court of Appeal on September 7, 2016, in the case involving former Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, who is also a former Bersih chairperson.
Yesterday, Allaudeen said Bersih’s alleged failure to notify police of the rally was a violation of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, making the gathering illegal.
He said strict action would be taken against those involved in the gathering, in accordance with the law. – February 26, 2024