POLICE WARN BERSIH RALLY SUPPORTERS
> ‘Action will be taken if organisers proceed with plan’
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have warned electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 that action will be taken against rally-goers if they decide to proceed with the Bersih 4.0 rally as it has been classified as unlawful.
Dang Wangi police chief ACP Zainol Samah said despite being told at the second meeting with Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah yesterday at Dang Wangi police headquarters that the rally was unlawful, the organiser was adamant on proceeding with the gathering in the vicinity of Dataran Merdeka.
“It was the second meeting with the organiser and the meeting went well, but we told them that it’s an unlawful rally because the organiser failed to obtain permission as stipulated under Section 11 of The Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, and there simply cannot be two assemblies on the day at the same time,” Zainol told a press conference at the district police headquarters.
He said the organiser was also informed that the police were not against the right of individuals to gather under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, but that there were limitations to the right.
“The Federal Constitution gives the right to assemble peacefully, but it is still within limitation. The freedom to assemble is not an ultimate right,” he added.
The police also advised the public not to attend the rally.
“We would also like to remind that children should not get involved as it is against the law under Section 20(1)(c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act,” he said.
When asked on the actions that will be taken if the participants failed to adhere to the existing laws, Zainol said: “It all depends on the situation.”
He added that police will be monitoring the crowd at the rally.
On the anti-Bersih 4.0 march where some 30,000 people are expected to turn up on Aug 29 at Dataran Merdeka, Zainol said action will be taken against those who plan a gathering without a permit and violates the law.
Meanwhile, Chin said the police finally understood that protesters would only be gathering in the vicinity of Dataran Merdeka, as opposed to entering the square.
“They were under the impression that we were going to enter the square but we are not,” she said outside of Dang Wangi police district headquarters after a meeting with the police yesterday.
Chin, who labelled the meeting as “positive”, said they would be re-planning their routes as several points in Kuala Lumpur would be closed for Merdeka Day celebration.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur police chief Commissioner Datuk Tajudin Md Isa said in a statement that police never granted nor permitted the organiser of Bersih 4.0 to hold the rally this weekend.
“I would like to remind the organiser not to spin any statement issued by police in regard to the latest article by an online portal titled ‘Bersih bows to police, will change rally points’,” he said.