Penang PKR leader Ong Eu Leung, who was charged last year with organising the illegal  Blackout 505 rally at the Batu Kawan Stadium on mainland Penang, was acquitted by the Sessions Court in Butterworth today.

Sessions judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi released Ong from the charge and dismissed the case. Lim Boon Beng represented Ong, while the prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Razali Che Aini.

Ong was charged under Section 9 (1) of the 2012 Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) for failing to give the police 10 days’ notice of the gathering, held on May 11 last year, which was subsequently deemed "illegal".

His trial began in September last year, with Ong pleading not guilty.

The rally was part of a nationwide protest against allegations of election fraud in last year’s May 5 general election, which saw BN retain Putrajaya, although Pakatan won 52 percent of the popular votes.

"Even with this acquittal, I did not feel one iota of relief nor happiness because draconian laws like the PAA and a rotten system are still intact. I may be lucky today but what about tomorrow?" Ong asked.

"Rallies are always organised at the eleventh hour. How to give police 10 days notice? With the PAA, we do not require a police permit, so how can these gatherings be deemed illegal?"

Other Pakatan leaders who were charged and acquitted recently under the same law for organising rallies included Selangor deputy speaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, former Selangor executive council member Ronnie Liu and Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia founder Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who is better know as Chegubard.