PKR Youth leader: Let rally go on, it poses no threat to PM

A PKR Youth leader has urged the authorities to allow the “Turun Anwar” rally tomorrow to proceed smoothly.

Johor PKR Youth vice-chief Faezuddin Puad also reminded the authorities that the Federal Constitution allows Malaysians the right to assemble peacefully.

“As long as the rally goes on peacefully - with no property damages, slander or threat to public life - there is no reason for the authorities to clamp down on it.

“Some even asked if the rally would threaten the prime minister’s position or the government’s standing. I don’t think so.

“The people are intelligent and mature. They can differentiate between the government’s achievements and the opposition’s empty rhetoric,” Faezuddin (above) said on Facebook yesterday.

Ahead of the rally, a government agency and top public officials have reminded civil servants against joining the rally.

On July 21, Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said it would be inappropriate for civil servants to join such a gathering, as doing so would be inconsistent with the principle of “Loyalty to king and country”, as enshrined in the Rukun Negara.

“They shouldn’t go. They are civil servants, (so) how can they join? Every day, every week, we recite the ‘Loyalty to king and country’ pledge. Have they forgotten? Be loyal to the king and the country,” he said.

Later, the Attorney-General’s Chambers reminded civil servants that their constitutional rights have legal boundaries, particularly when joining public rallies.

The agency said civil servants are subject to the Oath of Office as provided for in subregulation 20(3) of the Public Officers (Appointment, Promotion, and Termination of Service) Regulations 2012.

Yesterday, Public Service Department’s director-general Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said civil servants should remain apolitical at all times under Public Service Regulations (Conduct and Discipline) 1993.

Past high-handed tactics

Faezuddin then reminisced about the actions of the past administrations, where high-handed tactics were used to clamp down on peaceful protests.

The PKR leader said the actions created a perception where the powers-that-be were using the enforcement agencies as tools to suppress legitimate grievances.

“For example, remember how those wearing yellow T-shirts in public areas risk getting caught on allegations of promoting the Bersih rally? We don’t need a repeat of such things,” he said.

Faezuddin further said the Madani government should continue to celebrate freedom of expression and the right to assemble peacefully, adding that this administration is more progressive than its predecessors.

Citing examples, the PKR leader pointed out how the recent Malaysian Bar rally went on smoothly without any restrictions.

“In fact, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim even provided ice-creams and mineral water to the participants,” he added.

Sabah rally

Even when students torched a caricature drawing of Anwar in Sabah, Faezuddin said the prime minister still approached the matter diplomatically.

“There was no instruction for arrests, no one was expelled from the university, and no one was intimidated.

“If they (the opposition) still feel the government is cruel, I think they are just bankrupt of ideas,” he added.

It should be noted that the Sabah police arrested three students on June 24 for torching the caricature of Anwar.

Kota Kinabalu district police chief Kasim Muda confirmed the arrests of Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 coordinators Fadhil Kasim and Aliff Danial Badrul Akmal Hisham.

A third student who did not participate in the burning, Sabir Syarafuddin, was also arrested.

According to Kasim, police were investigating the students under the Sedition Act, among others.

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