As announced by de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz last Saturday, the government will table amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 during the committee stage of the debate for the Bill in the Dewan Rakyat, later today.

The draft amendments distributed to parliamentarians today includes six specific amendments to four sections which will see reductions in notification, appeals and response periods:

- 30 days notice period reduced to 10 days;

- Police must notify stakeholder within 24 hours of notice by organisers instead of 48 hour as proposed;

- Stakeholders can complain about proposed assembly within 48 hours, from five days previously;

- Police to reply to organisers within five days, as opposed to twelve days previously;

- Appeal to rejection or police discretionary orders to organisers can be done within 48 hours of receipt, from four days mandated prior to the amendments;

-Home Minister to answer any appeals within 48 hours instead of six days originally.

The amendments came in the footsteps of widespread opposition to the proposed Bill and was decided in a cabinet meeting last Friday, after consultations with the Attorney-General's Chamber.

Nazri had told reporters that he will prevail upon Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to waive the notification period for amendments, considering that the Bill is already in its second reading.

Nazri said he will also seek to insert the changes to the Bill in the committee stage later today, after the initial debate which is ongoing now.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak tabled the Bill for second reading last Thursday, though debate was postponed until today. Parliament will not end today until the Bill and five other minor bills to amend other laws are passed.

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