KUALA LUMPUR – Public gatherings such as demonstrations must adhere to the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012 so the police can facilitate such events and protect the public.
Hence, city police said today’s Save Malaysia gathering did not adhere to the PAA 2012.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said as such, police will investigate the gathering today, and subsequently take appropriate action.
“We want to stress that the notification (of the rally) must follow the law. It has to be within the confines of the law, it is not any letter,” he told a press conference at Dang Wangi district police headquarters today.
“Everyone who wants to organise (such events) knows about this requirement. So, they need to adhere to it. (This is so that) the police can facilitate the gathering, and to safeguard public safety.”
Allaudeen said this in response to one of the rally’s organiser, Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, who claimed that the gathering today was only a step in the secretariat’s goal to “save” Malaysia.
KL’s top cop added that the police will summon anyone necessary to assist in its investigation, and is not limited to the 16 people who gave speeches during today’s gathering.
Asked whether the organisers may have deliberately provided differing details of the gathering to mislead the police, Allaudeen said the authorities will investigate every aspect leading to the event.
Earlier, Faisal lodged a police report to have Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recharged, after receiving a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for all of his 47 graft charges.
Two other demands include the separation of the public prosecutor’s office from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), and an investigation on parties involved with Zahid’s DNAA, such as the current and former attorney-generals, as well as the public prosecutor.
Allaudeen said the police will peruse the report lodged by Faisal accordingly.
On Thursday, the police rejected an application to hold the rally, following the omission of certain details by the organisers in their submission. – September 16, 2023