WE, the undersigned civil society organisations, are deeply disturbed by police harassment of the 10 activists associated with the Women’s March 2023 under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and Minor Offences Act 1955.
The march was held peacefully in all aspects with a diversity of messages relating to gender equality and related rights.
It is a national celebration of democracy, similar to the Reformasi movement in the late-1990s that saw leaders like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail take to the streets.
If the suppression of public voices then was wrong, so is the suppression of the people’s voices in the present, particularly on that particular March 8.
The Pakatan Harapan-led government must remember that national democratisation and regime change was built on the sacrifices of thousands of pro-democracy activists in Malaysia.
Accordingly, the new government should better appreciate the value of democracy and freedom and differentiate itself from the previous authoritarian regimes.
Furthermore, aside from the Peaceful Assembly Act that is in need of reform, we are also concerned that police have also increasingly resorted to the use of Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act to deter assemblies.
The Minor Offences Act should not serve as another tool for penalising peaceful assemblers.
We urge police to respect the freedom of expression of the participants.
All investigations against the organising committee members, speakers and observers should be dropped immediately.
Instead, police should investigate a sexual harassment allegation made by an activist. – The Vibes, March 23. 2023
This statement is endorsed by the following organisations:
1. Agora Society Malaysia
2. Aliran
3. All Women’s Action Society
4. Association of Women Lawyers
5. Bersih
6. Centre for Independent Journalism
7. Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances
8. EMPOWER
9. Family Frontiers
10. IMAN Research
11. Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia
12. JEJAKA
13. justice for sisters
14. Kemban Kolektif
15. KLSCAH Civil Rights Committee
16. KRYSS Network
17. Legal Dignity
18. Life Under Umbrella
19. MAJU
20. New Era Alumni Association
21. New Student Movement Alliance of Malaysia (NESA)
22. Parti Sosialis Malaysia
23. Pemuda Sosialis
24. Persatuan Pemangkin Kesedaran Sosial
25. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
26. Pertubuhan Advokasi dan Kesejahteraan Pekak Malaysia
27. PLUHO, People Like Us Hang Out!
28. Ruang Komuniti P320
29. Sarawak OKU Skills Development Association
30. Save Malaysia Stop Lynas
31. Sisters in Islam
32. Society for Equality, Respect and Trust for All Sabah
33. Society for the Promotion of Human Rights Malaysia
34. Student Progressive Front UUM
35. Suara Rakyat Malaysia
36. Suara Siswa Universiti Malaya
37. Suara Siswa UUM
38. Tamil Foundation Malaysia
39. TARANY
40. Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy
41. The Women Development organisation Malaysia PJ New Town Branch
42. UMANY
43. Universiti Malaya Students’ Union
44. Women’s Centre for Change
Individual endorsement:
1. Kenneth Cheng
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