Do cops respect spirit of PAA, Arutchelvan asks home minister

Summary

• While PSM does not dispute the home minister’s statistics on peaceful gatherings being allowed to proceed, the party questions police investigation against organisers after the rally is over.

• PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan says police themselves lodged reports on the organisers to start an investigation.

• He says it gives the perception that the police do not respect the freedom to assemble peacefully.

While lauding the government’s announcement to review certain provisions of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, a PSM leader said more needs to be done to ensure freedom to peacefully assemble is respected as a human right.

For starters, PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan pointed out that the police usually would investigate protesters after a rally, despite the latter meeting all requirements under the said law.

“Almost all protest organisers get called in for questioning after the assembly under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code despite no untoward incidents.

“Usually, the police themselves would lodge a report on it and investigate it.

“This gives a perception that the police don’t respect the freedom to assemble peacefully,” he said in a statement today.

‘We never forget’

Yesterday, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail rejected claims that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government has changed since coming to power.

He emphasised that the coalition’s leaders, many of whom started their political journey through street protests, would not forget the foundations of their struggle.

Saifuddin added that since he took over the Home Ministry, the police rejected only two to three percent of all assembly applications received.

“Statistics show that in 2023, a total of 10,000 assembly notifications were submitted to the police, with 98 percent of gatherings proceeding without restrictions.

“In 2024, more than 7,000 notifications were received, and 99 percent were approved,” he added.

Remember pro-Palestine rally?

On that note, Arutchelvan said he would not dispute the statistics cited by Saifuddin but questioned the police’s move in summoning the protest organisers for questioning after the gathering was over.

Citing examples, he pointed to a case where seven pro-Palestine protesters were detained by the police in September last year.

Another case happened in June last year, where 15 organisers of the #KepungDemiPalestin rally were called in by the police for questioning under Section 9(5) of the PAA.

“There are other incidents too. So, these are among the issues that need addressing to ensure the right to peaceful assembly is not trampled upon after the rally is over,” Arutchelvan stressed.

Rally outside Parliament

Another issue, the PSM leader added, was the limitation imposed to stage a rally outside of Parliament.

He pointed out that in the past, the authorities had allowed the people to gather at the bridge leading to the august house.

“The Parliament is the symbol of democracy and the area surrounding it is not covered under Section 7 of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959 (Revised 1983).

“But lately, the police only allow us to gather at a small place near the Parliament, which is not conducive.

“A gathering should be allowed to be held at a strategic area where MPs and senators could see us clearly when they head towards the Parliament,” Arutchelvan said.

PAA change

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would amend the PAA and remove requirements for rally organisers to obtain permission from a venue owner.

“This means the need to obtain approval from the premises owner, as mentioned under several sections, will be amended and set aside.

“Section 11 of the act that requires approval from a premises owner or residents, which is being disputed now, will be removed from existing regulations.

“The Home Ministry will bring it to the next session. However, the moratorium is in effect now, meaning it applies immediately,” he was reported as saying.

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