Probe against university students in an anti-corruption rally and families of Sosma detainees dropped.
The government will drop the investigation into university students involved in the ‘Himpunan Rakyat Benci Rasuah’ (People Hate Corruption) rally, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced. No action will be taken against those summoned by the police over the protest held on 25 January.
“The same applies to the recent hunger strike and protest by families of detainees under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) – no action will be taken against them,” Anwar stated during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Lower House on Thursday (13 February).
Earlier this month, around 50 protesters, consisting of family members of Sosma detainees, staged a hunger strike outside Sungai Buloh Prison after their visitation requests were denied.
Anwar also revealed that the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 will be amended in the next parliamentary session. The proposed changes include the removal of Section 11, which currently requires demonstrators to obtain the consent of the property owner or occupier before holding an assembly.
“The government agrees to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 to facilitate peaceful gatherings. This means the requirement to seek approval for certain locations will be amended or removed. Section 11, which mandates obtaining approval from the owner or occupier, will be eliminated,” he told Parliament.
Anwar, who has participated in protests before re-entering government, noted that his administration had already placed a moratorium on enforcing this provision. He clarified that demonstrators are only required to notify the police five days in advance to ensure public safety and manage traffic.
While the amendments will grant more flexibility in choosing rally locations, restrictions will still apply to security-sensitive areas, such as palace grounds.
“That is why notification is necessary – so the police can liaise with organisers, confirm the location, estimate the expected crowd size, and ensure compliance with conditions, including the prohibition of weapons. I do not think that is too complicated.
“Organisers must also maintain and clean the area after the assembly. This arrangement is temporary, but moving forward, approval will no longer be required – only a five-day notification to the police,” Anwar added.