Using national security as an excuse to impose a "blanket ban" on political ceramah is not justified as every political party wants its ceramah to be peaceful, said DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang today.

The opposition leader was responding to the recent announcement by the government that permits for both ruling and opposition parties to hold ceramah would be tightened as such events were potential threats to national security.

Lim urged the police, Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) and political parties to discuss this matter and formulate rules in order to guarantee the freedom of assembly and expression.

Yesterday, the Berita Harian daily reported that the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters had issued a directive to all state and district police headquarters to prohibit assembly in open places.

However, Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said later that the ban would not be applied to Saturday's by-election in Likas, Sabah.

Opposite direction

Lim criticised the authorities' action and claimed that it was against the growth of a democratic culture.

"Unfortunately, Malaysia in 2001 is moving in the opposite direction, clamping down on whatever limited human rights and democratic liberties still allowed to its citizens," he said.

"And all this is taking place one year after the establishment of Suhakam, mandated by Parliament to protect human rights," Lim added.

On Monday night, PAS leader Muhammad Sabu and two others were detained for participating in an illegal assembly in Negeri Sembilan. However, the trio were freed on police bail several hours later.