SABAH BANGKIT RALLY TO PROCEED WITHOUT POLICE PERMIT
Kota Kinabalu City police chief ACP Jauteh Dikun Sabah issued a statement following the news of the rally to be held by Sabah Bangkit on January 12, 2013 located at Chong Thien Vun Park at 2:00 pm.
In the statement, he said the rally did not obtain any permits from the police or any department which in turn led offenses under the Peaceful Asembly Act of 2012.
Response by organizers of the rally-
Himpunan Sabah Bangkit (Bangkit (Rise) Sabah) organizers are claiming constitutional rights and the Sabah NGO Coalition said that “We do not want to worship the Peaceful Assembly Act. We are confident that people are entitled to assemble and conduct a public sit down rally.
We believe that this act was established after the advent of the Constitution which guarantees the right to assemble has eroded our fundamental right to assemble.
This Act is not the way to discipline demonstrators. Instead, the participants themselves who determine the assembly environment. Again, we are confident that people are mature and will be very well mannered.
This assembly will be held peacefully and will not be compromise public order. As organizers, we will continue to rally as we continue to rely on constitutional guarantees.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
A comment on this report in Borneo Herald by ANAKSARAWAK January 12, 2013
SABAH BANGKIT YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT!
The Peaceful Assembly Act is unconstitutional because it contravenes Article 10 of the Constitution of Malaysia which guarantees Malaysian citizens the right to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of association.
Freedom of Assembly is the individual right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests. The right to freedom of association is recognized as a human right, political right, and civil liberty.
The freedom of assembly is written about in the following human rights instruments:
1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights – Article 20
2. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Article 21
Despite the UMNO cyber hackers scare tactics comments here, it will look very bad in the eyes of the world for the Police to suppress the freedom of assembly,especially a peaceful assembly.
Defend your right of Free Assembly!