KUALA LUMPUR – Police have opened an investigation into a peaceful protest held outside Parliament yesterday against the government’s decision to postpone the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration.
In a statement yesterday, Dang Wangi district police chief Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said the individuals involved will be called up to have their statements recorded.
The probe will be conducted under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, for failure to notify police before an assembly is held, he said.
He added that the investigation papers will be sent to the public prosecutor’s office once the probe is wrapped up.
Police are also looking into whether there were violations of Regulation 11 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Areas) (Conditional MCO) (No. 4) Regulations 2021, which makes it an offence to conduct any activity with many people in attendance, such that it becomes difficult to ensure social distancing.
The rally saw some 200 people gathering outside Parliament to object to the delay in implementing the Undi18 bill, which lowers the minimum voting age from 21 to 18, that was approved by lawmakers in 2019.
It was originally slated for implementation in July, but the Election Commission this week announced the postponement to after September 1 next year.
The protest yesterday was organised by an ad hoc committee called Sekretariat Himpunan Tuntut Undi18, a coalition of over 20 youth civil groups and opposition Youth wings, that led a 3km march from Padang Merbok to the gates of Parliament, where participants observed an 18-minute silence and listened to speeches. – The Vibes, March 28, 2021
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