KUALA LUMPUR – Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has expressed her concerns on the ongoing police investigation on the recent Undi18 protests and plans on bring the matter to the cabinet.
In a press statement here today, the former PKR leader said that she was also arrested and detained for exercising her right for the freedom of assembly as enshrined in the federal constitution.
“Wholly peaceful public assemblies should not be subjected to any police investigation; they should be facilitated by the police, whilst taking into account legitimate public order concerns.
“The right of protesters to peacefully gather and express their views must be defended, provided Covid-19 SOPs (standard operating procedures) are adhered to.
“I am concerned, and will raise this matter at (the) cabinet,” said the Ampang MP.
Furthermore, she added that the Peaceful Assembly Act needs to be reviewed in order to facilitate peaceful public assemblies.
At the same time, Zuraida understood that the police were only doing their jobs based on the provisions provided under the Peaceful Assembly Act and believed that they were not out to oppress anyone.
Similarly, she thinks that the Election Commission (EC) will do everything possible to ensure that lowering the voting age to 18 is implemented at the “earliest practical time”, claiming that the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration is categorically and unreservedly in support of Undi18.
However, NGOs and youths have panned the Bersatu-led administration under Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, accusing them of cowardice particularly over the youth vote come the 15th general election.
Muhyiddin had denied such accusations and claimed that EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh had given the excuse that Undi18 can only be implemented in September 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. – The Vibes, April 3, 2021
