KUALA LUMPUR — Police have yet to receive a revised notice from the organisers of an anti-corruption assembly to be held outside the Sogo shopping complex and at Dataran Merdeka here tomorrow.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the organisers had submitted the notice earlier but police returned as it did not include a copy of the venue owner’s or occupier’s consent.
“The notice was submitted within the required timeframe, but we asked for it to be completed and gave them time to resubmit with the necessary approval,” he said in a Bernama report.
“As of today, we have not received the revised notice,” he was quoted saying at a press conference after a monthly assembly at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters here today.
The organisers, who are various civil society groups, have claimed that the planned assembly locations do not require owner consent, but Rusdi said that under the law, any assembly requires the approval of the venue owner.
Dataran Merdeka is owned by Kuala Lumpur City Hall, whose consent is needed, he said.
“While Dataran Merdeka and Padang Merbok are designated assembly locations, permission is still required as organisers may incur costs for any damage caused.
“We provide the freedom to assemble but it’s not an absolute right. It must comply with legal processes and regulations, such as prohibiting the presence of children and the display of banners with inappropriate content,” he said.
Rusdi added that police would monitor social media regarding the assembly and deploy 400 officers and personnel for the event tomorrow.
No road closures are planned for now, but they remain subject to situational needs.
Previously, Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman said that the initial notice was returned to the organisers on Jan 17 as it was incomplete, lacking the venue owner’s consent.
He emphasised that the organisers must adhere to the provisions of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
The assembly, dubbed “Himpunan Rakyat Benci Rasuah” (People’s Anti-Corruption Rally) and organised by several civil society groups, has been promoted through social media, calling on the public to gather outside the Sogo shopping complex in the capital before marching to Dataran Merdeka at 2.30 pm tomorrow to demand justice and reject oppression. – January 24, 2025