No permits are needed to organise peaceful assemblies. This fact is reinforced by the Inspector-General of Police on 4 March this year, also enshrined in the Peaceful Assembly Act via the requirement of organisers to notify the police five days before the assembly. Thus, stop this longstanding practice of misleading the public into believing that permits are needed for protests to be ‘legal’, and protect their right to peacefully assemble instead, a fundamental right that is guaranteed under Article 10(b) of the Federal Constitution.
Any person can and should be able to organise and participate in peaceful assemblies without facing intimidation and reprisals from any party, as assemblies are a legitimate vehicle to speak up on issues of interest. In this regard, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) urges the Kota Kinabalu police to facilitate tomorrow’s #KamiMahuAir peaceful demonstration, whilst ensuring the safety of organisers and participants present.
On a wider note, systemic reforms need to be undertaken to ensure that the right to peacefully assemble is consistently respected by the state. The government’s expressed openness to streamlining notifications of peaceful assemblies should be concretised by efforts to conduct stakeholder engagements, including civil society, to gather input.
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