Amendments just a "sleight of hand", govt must withdraw Assembly Bill - PKR

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz confirmed that the Cabinet has agreed to make 8 amendments to the controversial Peaceful Assembly Act, but PKR leaders flayed him and the Najib administration for trying to manipulate the issue.

"The Bill must be withdrawn. Extensive changes are required. Amendments by the government are expected to be a sleight of hand calculated to appease public anger," N Surendran, PKR vice president, told Malaysia Chronicle.

"It is clear the government has no intention to lift the ban on street protests, which is the key grievance. Protests will proceed until the government recognizes the people's right to assemble and gives full effect to Article 10 of the Federal Constitution."

He was commenting on a Berita Harian report that quoted Nazri as saying that 8 amendments would be made on Tuesday when Parliament convened for the second reading of the Bill.

Another Najib "sleight of hand"

The Peaceful Assembly Bill was first proposed by Prime Minister Najib Razak in September to appease public anger over his excessively harsh crackdown on peaceful demonstrators at the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections.

But instead of agreeing to greater democratic space, Malaysians were shocked when the PM tabled a Bill for first reading earlier this week that contained even more repressive conditions for public gatherings than in Myanmar, which allows street protests.

The Malaysian bill was also condemned for giving the police too much power and discretion over the people's freedom.

"There is only one solution - to withdraw, not amend. There are no redeeming factors at all in this Bill," PKR director of legal affairs Latheefa Koya told Malaysia Chronicle.

A slew of protests on the cards

Initially, Najib and his cousin Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein defended the Bill vehemently, with Najib saying it was a "revolutionary" law and a "giant leap" while Hisham, who controls the police, said there was "no way" the government would retract the law due for final reading next Tuesday.

That prompted the mushrooming of several civil society groups including the Freedom to Campaign led by law professor Wong Chin Huat and the Bar Council to organize various demonstrations and candlelight vigils.

With public sentiment fast souring, the Najib administration began to back-track, blaming Nazri for the excessive conditions on the basis that Najib had been overseas and was not aware. That was condemned as a"flimsy excuse" to save face for Najib.

However, what concerns Malaysians most now are the amendments that will be made. There is fear that these will be cosmetic and are highly unlikely to pass muster with the Bar Council. Nor are the civil society groups likely to take kindly to any form of "manipulation" by the Najib administration to slip in extra provisions to enable their coalition to cling to power in the event they lose the next general election.

"How can the government be so sloppy. The Bill is full of loopholes and in the first place, it was not necessary. All we needed was to practice Article 10 in the full spirit in which is was written," PKR vice president Tian Chua toldMalaysia Chronicle.

Malaysia Chronicle