Kita Lawan will still go ahead with its anti-goods and services tax (GST) protest come May 1 even though they have been cautioned by the country’s top cop to apply for a permit first.

“The inspector-general of police’s (IGP) threat that action will be taken against Kita Lawan is contradictory to the spirit of the constitution and it will not stop us from gathering on May 1 to protest against the GST,” said PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad in a statement.

Nik Nazmi, who is speaking on behalf of Kita Lawan youths, said it was as though Khalid Abu Bakar had belittled the constitution which ensures the right for all to gather peacefully.

“I want to remind him that not only do the rakyat not need to apply for a permit from the police to gather, but the 10-day notice under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) has been declared unconstitutional,” he said, referring to his Black 505 assembly case.

He also cited the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) which, in its 2014 annual report, said that the police’s role at rallies was only to ensure that they run smoothly. Suhakam also said the rakyat do not need the police’s permission to assemble.

“The youths of Kita Lawan have proven in previous rallies how they can run things smoothly and peacefully if there is no provocation.

“We hope the police will give their cooperation and do what they are supposed to do, which is to control the flow of traffic to ensure the safety of participants in the May 1 rally,” said Nik Nazmi.

Kita Lawan plans to hold a massive demonstration on May 1 in downtown KL to protest the GST.

Khalid yesterday said organisers of the May 1 rally must be prepared to face the law if they did not get approval from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for the location of the rally.

Although Khalid had instructed Dang Wangi police chief Zainol Samah to hold negotiations with the Kita Lawan organisers, previous negotiations for Kita Lawan’s first major rally on March 7 broke down, after the organisers refused to hold their protest at a number of proposed locations, including Stadium Merdeka.

The demonstration was subsequently declared as “against the law” due to the organisers not submitting a written notification to the police.

Over a dozen of the protest leaders were then arrested in the immediate weeks following the protest, some under a sedition charge.