Ahead of Perikatan-backed rally today, KL cops say no roadblocks but stern action against organisers, participants
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — City police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid has given an assurance that there will be no roadblocks in the national capital on Malaysia Day today, ahead of a planned rally in Kampung Baru by pro-federal Opposition groups this afternoon.
Instead, he said police will take stern action against the organisers and anyone else who participates in the gathering dubbed “Save Malaysia” if it goes ahead, Utusan Malaysia reported.
He said police personnel from the Kuala Lumpur contingent will be deployed to monitor the situation in the event there are still those who insist on going ahead with the rally.
“Stern action will definitely be taken in this matter,” he was quoted saying.
Allaudeen referred to remarks made by Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, who said two days ago that the organisers failed to provide complete details of their planned gathering in their advance notice as required by the Peaceful Assembly Act, such as their names and the venue.
Allaudeen said the police will not tolerate anyone who is found to insist on holding or taking part in the rally, adding that the decision is to ensure public peace and order.
Yesterday, local daily Berita Harian reported Allaudeen as saying that city roads would not be closed in advance of the planned rally as it would inconvenience those going about with their daily activities like shopping and sightseeing on a public holiday.
However, he added that police might close or place blockades on certain roads if the rally goes ahead.
The “Save Malaysia” rally is led by the Islamist coalition Ummah and its allied student group Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia, and also includes pro-Malay group Perkasa. It has now been joined by PN political parties — PAS, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Gerakan — and also Parti Pejuang Tanahair.
In a news conference livestreamed on Facebook yesterday, the organisers insisted that the rally will proceed at 2pm today and they will meet at Masjid Jamek in Kampung Baru instead of outside the Sogo shopping centre on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman as initially planned.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said 22 complaints have been filed against the rally organisers since, by business owners, non-governmental organisations, and members of the public who fear disruption to their activities, another local daily The Star reported.
“This is not the way to save Malaysia. All parties should respect Malaysia Day.
“Our safety is secured. In fact, such protests might disrupt public activities,” the IGP was quoted as saying.
Separately, national news agency Bernama reported Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar saying that mosques and surau should not be used for political purposes.
The Peaceful Assembly Act introduced in 2012 dismantled the requirement for police permits prior to holding rallies.
However, organisers are still required to provide a written notice to the district police chief five day before the gathering is held under Section 9 of the Act.
Failure to do so makes it an offence, punishable with a maximum RM10,000 fine upon conviction.
Section 10 of the same law lists out the information that such a five-day advance notice is required to contain, including the organiser's name and detail and correspondence address; the name and address of the speakers in the rally; the rally's purpose, its date, its location and the proposed times for when the rally will begin and end, the expected number of participants, a description of the sound amplification equipment proposed to be used, the person appointed by the organiser to be in charge of the orderly conduct of the rally; and details if the rally is a procession such as its proposed route, its proposed locations for where the procession will stop at, how long the procession is proposed to remain at every place it stops at.
