The right to assembly cannot be curtailed by a police permit. The police may be informed ( as suggested by Suhakam ) that a public assembly is in the works but there should not be a curtailment of this fundamental right.

The police, as we are all aware, use the permit mechanism under the Police Act to curtail this right on the pretext of maintaining public order. In the past (and this has been documented), police have used provocateurs to begin trouble, which then signals the police to mob peaceful demonstrators.

Suhakam, as the human rights body of the government, has to monitor the rally on Nov 10. Police and the light strike force must not be armed, not even with rubber bullets. Civil society groups are out in force and the international community will be watching this event closely.

Nov 10 is a big day for civil society. It is the culmination of grievances from beating unarmed Hindu priests, from VK Lingam to Zaki Azmi (the newly appointed Umno judge), from price hikes to APs - you name it, we have it all.

I know of Malaysians abroad coming home just to be part of this historical event.