Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim can chant ‘Merdeka Rakyat’ for one whole day as long as he follows the law, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said today.

“If everything goes smoothly and does not undermine the nation’s security, he can shout for one day and one night in the stadium,” he told reporters after attending a conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

The Umno vice-president was commenting on Anwar’s emulation of Umno’s second president Tunku Abdul Rahman during the People’s Uprising rally last Saturday.

However, Hishammuddin noted, Anwar had a record of breaching the cordon of Dataran Merdeka during the Bersih 3.0 rally last year, insinuating that Anwar may not follow the law.

“If (he) creates chaos intentionally, the authorities, in particular the police, will have to take action,” he added.

He refused to comment when asked whether Anwar’s act was to downplay Umno’s legacy, saying this was best to be judged by the rakyat.

Taking a swipe at the Pakatan rally last Saturday, Hishammuddin said it did not represent the voices of the majority of Malaysians.

“The rally may have had 30 or 40 or 50 or even 100 thousand people attending, but if you compare it with the millions of people in Malaysia, it is not the voices of the majority.”

Echoing the prime minister’s speech at the conference earlier, he also applauded the government for taking a more open approach since Najib Abdul Razak took office.

Asked about the presence of children at the rally, Hishammuddin said it was the responsibility of the police to investigate before passing it to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to decide on the next course of action.

This evening, Bernama reported Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail as warning that people who bring children to gatherings such as last Saturday's were liable to be prosecuted.

Gani said the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 banned the participation of children in such assemblies.

"The law is there. If we have the evidence, we will prosecute," he told reporters after the plenary session of the Conference on the Transformation of Security and Fundamental Rights Legislation, Rights and Responsibilities in Kuala Lumpur.

Gani said the participation of children at public gatherings was prohibited not only in this country but also in several European nations.

The Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 prohibits the participation of people under 15 in public gatherings.

Meanwhile, in his presentation on 'Striking a Balance between National Interest and Fundamental Rights' at the conference, Gani said the repeal of Section 27 of the Police Act 1967 and its replacement with the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 was to bring Malaysia's law on freedom of assembly in line with international human rights norms.  

 

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