KUALA LUMPUR – The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) has condemned authorities for investigating youth activists who participated in the #TangkapAzamBaki rally last Saturday.
In a statement today, the electoral watchdog said such intimidation tactics are a violation of constitutional rights afforded to every citizen.
“According to Article 10 of the federal constitution, every citizen has the right to organise and partake in peaceful assemblies.
“This random investigation is a form of harassment and intimidation towards people attempting to exercise their rights, especially as the gathering in question was carried out without any instances of violence.”
It suggested that Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and police act as guides and observers, instead of attempting to restrict and prohibit protests held by the people.
“We are now in the year 2022. Our democracy should be better than it was years ago.
“The practice of imposing limits on any sort of peaceful gathering is an outdated and backwards tradition that is also a waste of police manpower and resources,” it said, referencing the deployment of more than 1,000 police officers to control the crowd on Saturday.
The watchdog also questioned the government on its readiness to send out police forces for a peaceful gathering, when such efforts should be deployed at more pressing times.
“Did the government channel similar resources to investigate the controversy surrounding Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki and the purchase of shares he had blamed on his brother?
“Why was such a huge number of police mobilised in such a short time to pressure a peaceful gathering, but so slow to mobilise when the nation faced a flood crisis?”
Yesterday, Pakatan Harapan youth chief Howard Lee and seven other politicians and activists were questioned at the Brickfields district police headquarters.
Lawyer Kamil Munim said the case is being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code (related to statements conducive to public mischief), Section 9 of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, as well as Regulation 9, 10, and 17 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).
As of 8pm yesterday, police have taken statements from 19 activists who attended a gathering at Restaurant Amjal a night before the rally and the protest the following day.
Brickfields police chief Amihizam Abdul Shukor said 94 participants and activists, as well as 12 public visitors, were identified as attending the events at both locations, but no arrests were made. – The Vibes, January 25, 2022
