Anti-corruption rally organisers: We spoke up against corruption, but ‘rewarded’ with a police probe instead
Students from Sekretariat Rakyat Benci Rasuah protest against their members who were called up by the police at Dang Wangi police headquarters. — Picture by Raymond Manuel
Sunday, 02 Feb 2025 4:35 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Organisers of the anti-corruption rally “Himpunan Rakyat Benci Rasuah” last weekend has today questioned why some of them were called up by the police today.
The organisers, mostly tertiary students, said that the participants were merely taking on their responsibility to spread awareness about anti-corruption efforts — but they were instead “rewarded” with a police investigation under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA).
“So we would like to ask: is it now a crime to demand a country free from corruption?
“Is the voice of the youth so threatening that it must be silenced with intimidation and investigation?” asked Muhammad Zaim Zulkifli Ariff, the secretary of the Rakyat Benci Rasuah secretariat.
Thirteen from the loose coalition had their statements recorded at the Dang Wangi District Police Headquarters earlier, purportedly for an investigation under Section 9(5) of the PAA which handles failure to produce notice of assembly to the police.
Section 9(1) of the Act mandates that organisers must notify the Officer in Charge of a Police District at least ten days before the assembly takes place. However, this notice period was amended to five days in 2019.
If convicted, it is an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding RM10,000.
The group said that those in the current administration had previously gone through the same when they were demanding justice as part of the Opposition.
“They marched, they gathered and called for reform, but now, as they sit in power, do they wish to continue the same injustices they once fought against?
“If this government truly upholds the principles of Madani, then prove it with action, not just rhetoric,” they said.
Approximately 200 participants had marched from Sogo shopping mall in the capital to the historic Dataran Merdeka, breaching barricades put by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
The police had previously said that the organisers did not get permission from DBKL to host the protest there, but decided to facilitate the event which went peacefully.
Recommended reading:
No comments:
Post a Comment