Groups want Peaceful Assembly Act abolished
KUCHING: Sarawak civil society groups, political parties and individual citizens have come up with a joint statement to abolish the Peaceful Assembly Act( PAA) 2012, saying it is key to political emancipation of Sarawakians.
There have been more frequent calls by various parties including human rights body, Suhakam,to revise and even repeal PAA.
Suhakam viewed the promised reforms by the government of the day as slow in coming, giving the perception that they are not serious about it and the government’s actions seemed to indicate “a regression in the commitment to advance and promote human rights for all Malaysians”.
“In Sarawak, there is an added dimension of complexity when we talk about fundamental freedom, in this case freedom of expression, to assemble and to associate under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. Initiatives to open democratic spaces for discussion of pressing issues affecting Sarawakian interests and welfare are either subjugated or relegated to something of lesser importance than the ‘getting back Sarawak’s rights’ discourse vis a vis Putrajaya. This is not surprising nor new,” the statement said.
It also said political subjugation or domination of Sarawak in the then BN-ruled Malaysia was not just confined to erosion of power and resources belonging to the state but also the curtailing of civil and political rights.
“As civil society actors we believe that rebuilding an inclusive Malaysia based on the true spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 must also include full attainment of civil and political rights for Sarawakians and Malaysians. We find it very disconcerting that in this new Malaysia this is still not happening.
“From the recent episode faced by the organisers of the Chat with ROSE forum on “Youth and Employment in Sarawak; Opportunities or Challenge”, in which the local police stopped the forum at the eleventh hour before it was due to begin, the PAA is proven to be part of the draconian control imposed by the authorities whether at the federal, state or both levels to deny Sarawakians - as Malaysian citizens - the right to deliberate and form opinions on issues pertinent to their welfare.
“Surelythetransferofmorepower and resources from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching must be accompanied by political emancipation of ordinary Sarawakians to freely and without feardiscussandparticipateinissues that affect our daily lives including to hold politicians accountable to the people. Any objection to the political emancipation of ordinary Sarawakians is undoubtedly hijacking the cause of Sarawak autonomy, for authoritarian and kleptocratic rule.
“Sustaining political subjugation of ordinary Sarawakians leaves us with two pathetic choices: to be further looted by Malayansanctioned or home- grown kleptocrats. We thus call upon NGOs and individual citizens as well as Sarawakian parties to categorically demand the abolition of PAA as a core element of Sarawak’s political emancipation,” the statement added.
The statement was supported and endorsed by Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) Sarawak, Bersih Sarawak, Dayak Nation Institute, Dayak Think Tank Association Sarawak ( DTTAS), Dayak Voice Society (DVS), Global Peace Mission (GPM) Sarawak Chapter, Ikram Sarawak, Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Joas), Jaringan Tanah HakAdat Bangsa Asal Sarawak (Tahabas), Lawyer Kamek For Change ( LK4C), Miri United Club, Movement for Change, Sarawak ( MoCS), Penan Empowerment Networking Association ( Pena), People’s Association for Development and Education ( Pade) of Penan Sarawak, Persatuan Dayak Sibuti, PersatuanMasyarakatTeringMiri, Pertubuhan Komuniti Harmoni Sarawak, Rise of Sarawak Efforts, Sarawak Association for Peoples’ Aspirations ( Sapa), Sarawak Dayak Iban Association ( Sadia), Save Rivers, Teori Timur, Terabai Kenyalang Heritage Association of Sarawak, Mike Lin, Yuwana Podin, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB), State Reform Party (STAR) and Sarawak Baru.