KUALA LUMPUR — The federal government is aiming to table amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 as early as the June parliamentary session, in a move it says will bolster the public’s right to peaceful protest.
Speaking during his weekly post-Cabinet press conference, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the Home Ministry is working to ensure the proposed changes are ready by the next Dewan Rakyat sitting, which begins on June 23.
“We expect the amendments to be brought to the earliest Parliament sitting or at the latest by October,” he said.
Fahmi added that the changes are intended to “strengthen the right to assemble”, although further details have yet to be disclosed.
He also highlighted that between 2020 and 2024, nearly all applications for public gatherings had been approved by the authorities.
“Nearly all applications were approved. This is a good figure and we believe that when the amendments are brought to parliament, civil rights to assemble will be strengthened,” he said, noting that approval rates stood at 99%.
Earlier in February, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would move to amend the Act in the upcoming parliamentary session. He also confirmed that Section 11 — which requires organisers to obtain consent from the owner or occupier of the venue — would be removed.
Describing the provision as an impediment to public demonstrations, Anwar said the police had been instructed to ignore it under a temporary moratorium.
He stressed that demonstrators are currently only required to give authorities five days’ notice prior to any gathering, primarily to allow for traffic and security arrangements.
The next Parliament sitting will run from June 23 to July 31, followed by the final session of the year from October 6 to December 4. – April 30, 2025