Cops warn public against joining Jan 25 anti-graft rally

Summary

• Dang Wangi police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman warns the public against attending the upcoming anti-graft rally in Kuala Lumpur.

• He says the organiser's notice was incomplete as it lacked consent from the venue owners and occupants.

Dang Wangi police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman warned the public against attending the anti-graft rally in Kuala Lumpur scheduled on Jan 25.

He acknowledged receipt of the rally's organiser's notice but said it was incomplete as it lacked the consent of the venue's owners or occupants.

"Strict action will be taken in accordance with the provisions of existing laws," he warned.

Earlier today, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail dismissed concerns from the rally's organisers regarding the police's directive to get consent from the owners of the premises where they will gather.

The minister questioned whether any public place could be considered ownerless, telling the rally's organisers that if they were familiar with requirements, there would not be any arguments for the existence of certain provisions.

Yesterday, the organisers - Sekretariat Rakyat Benci Rasuah - expressed surprise over the directive.

The secretariat's legal adviser, Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek, said the additional condition imposed upon them had no legal basis as the protest will be in a public space.

He said organisers of the rally had already notified the police of the assembly on Jan 15 as required under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

The act provides that assembly organisers must notify authorities five days ahead of the event.

Follow-up rally

The Rakyat Benci Rasuah rally on Jan 25 is a follow-up to the student-led New Year's Eve rally in Sabah, which protested against state politicians implicated in an ongoing graft scandal.

This came after a Malaysiakini exposé on Sabah assemblypersons allegedly discussing bribes to obtain mining prospecting licences, which also implicated Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.

Hajiji and others linked to the scandal have denied any wrongdoing, claiming it to be a conspiracy to destabilise the state government ahead of the state polls.

In its statement announcing the rally, Sekretariat Rakyat Benci Rasuah condemned both the government and the opposition for their handling of major corruption issues.

Organisations that endorsed the statement included Borneo Komrad, Muda, Bersih, Parti Sosialis Malaysia and Suaram.

Several university student groups also endorsed it.

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