The affirmation by the Malaysian Court of Appeal that a government and the police institution cannot institute any claim under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 in Malaysia slams the government and the police for their very intention.

Indeed, for a government and the police to even go to court to make claims for damages incurred in the 2012 Bersih 3 rally speaks volumes about a regime that is not only being seen as oppressive but also showcases clearly for the world to see how the powers-that-be have become brazen and bold in intimidating the citizenry.

While right-minded citizens will celebrate and welcome the Court’s prudent decision, the Barisan Nasional political coalition party’s government and the institutions that should guarantee and protect the citizens’ rights should learn fast from this verdict.

Foremost, stop wasting public funds garnered from the yoked taxpayers. Uphold the law in a manner that it is consistent with the jurisprudence of a nation that is independent, free and democratic. Trying to use the corridors of justice to lord over the populace is outdated in today’s new world order.

Secondly, trying to intimidate the public by hauling right-minded civil society leaders to court at every juncture is a clear affirmation of practices that belong to the bygone past decades of tyrannies. This practice of governance is fast fading even in the South-East Asian region. Take a look at Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.

These nations have given birth to a whole new leadership that is poised to ride on this New Age wave.

In this New Age, new leaders are being elected in many nations committed to bring liberty and values to their homelands.

Therefore our Malaysian political parties must wake up to their fast slipping opportunities to correct themselves and stop their fear creation tactics that are now all too commonly perceived here in Malaysia.

Kudos to our fearless judges for their verdict.

It is not about vindication granted to the civil society leaders whom the government and police tried to pin through the Courts; but this verdict is a wake-up call to all those within the corridors of power to realise that their antiquated political war tactics are not going to work in a world where we are seeing leaders in the likes of Rodrigo Duterte, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Narendra Modi.