The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) still needs to apply for police permits over its plan to hold pickets nationwide tomorrow, said Internal Security and Public Order director Salleh Mat Rasid.

He said although MTUC had sent a letter on the purpose and locations of the pickets, permits still had to be applied for as this was a requirement under Section 27 of the Police Act 1967.

“In this matter, the Police Act comes into play... any procession or public gathering needs the approval of the respective district police chief. They can submit applications and we will determine if the gatherings will disrupt public order or not.

“It doesn’t matter whether up to 100,000 people will turn up, if it (assembly) does not pose a threat to security and public order, we will give approval. We are not so cruel that we won’t allow any public assemblies to be held,” he told reporters when met at the Royal Malaysia Police College in Cheras in Kuala Lumpur today.

Earlier, he had witnessed a passing-out parade of newly-qualified police inspectors.

MTUC secretary-general Abdul Halim Mansor yesterday had said the pickets, to protest amendments to the Employment Act 1955 which were passed by Parliament on Oct 6, would not disrupt public order as they would be held after office hours, from 5pm to 6.30pm.

According to him, between 300 and 500 of its members would turn up for the pickets at each of the selected locations.

MTUC officers would also be on hand to help in crowd control and to ensure the pickets would be peaceful, he said.

At today’s passing-out parade, 118 probationary inspectors - 93 men and 25  women - successfuly qualified as full inspectors after completing their basic training course.

They were also the first batch recruited to undergo the inspector training course based on the qualfication of full degrees under the new Police Service Scheme.

- Bernama