KUALA LUMPUR – A rally by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (Bersih) this Tuesday near the Parliament building is illegal as organisers have not given notification of the assembly, police said.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said failure to notify police of the rally is a violation of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, making the gathering illegal.
“Holding an assembly without notification is an offence under Section 9(5) of the relevant act and the police are calling on the public not to participate in the illegal assembly,” Bernama reported him saying.
Allaudeen said strict action will be taken against all those involved in the gathering according to the law.
The rally, dubbed the ‘Reformasi 100 Peratus’ (100 Percent Reform Demand) Rally, is to be held at Plaza Tugu Negara near Parliament at 8am this Tuesday.
Bersih has been promoting the gathering on its social media platforms to demand the unity government keep its reform promises after more than a year in power since the 15th general election.
Among the reforms promised by Pakatan Harapan, which now leads the government, was a parliamentary committee to approve appointments to key positions such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Election Commission.
Currently, these appointments are made formally by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the prime minister.
Bersih deputy chairman Wong Yan Ke also tweeted that Tuesday’s rally would be the “first action and more to come” until the government fulfils its reform promises. – February 25, 2024