Jannie Lasimbang is not the only one to be shocked at being charged with illegal assembly. As she has said, she had given the requisite notices and even met with the OCPD before the assembly, who did not tell her the assembly was going to be illegal. The assembly was held nearly two months ago, and it turned out to be a peaceful event. Why are the authorities only now selecting certain people to be charged over it?

This appears to be a strategy by an insecure government to suppress dissent and opposition from the people at a time when the BN government’s and the prime minister’s popularity are at an all-time low.

There is a need to balance the constitutional rights of the people to assemble with the need to maintain order. The intention in passing the Peaceful Assembly Act was to allow for peaceful assemblies, as the title suggests. Notice was served as required, in order for the police to be involved. This provides the balance between the rights of the people and the need to maintain law and order.

There was no breach of security at the event. As long as it was a peaceful assembly that went on without incident, the intention of the Act was served.

The intention of the law is paramount and must be respected. Picking on technicalities to charge the organisers at this stage points to selective prosecution to oppress and intimidate the people who showed up in huge numbers to show their dissatisfaction with the government.

As Jannie Lasimbang said, others with racist intentions were not charged. And I absolutely agree with her. And for this reason, the irresistible implication from this for the ordinary rakyat is that the enforcement officers are only protecting the interest of some powerful people in this country.

Given the state of the country and the desperation of Umno leaders, perhaps we should not be shocked or surprised at the recent turn of events. The action of the authorities in charging Bersih organisers serves to remind us of the days of Ops Lalang. We must never allow that dark period in our history to be repeated.

I hope the judiciary will uphold the intention of the law and the constitutional rights of the people, and bring encouragement to us that some justice prevails for the citizens of this country.

BATU BIAN is the PKR assemblyperson for Ba’ Kelalan.