Dewan Negara may debate Assembly Bill on Tuesday

The contentious Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 might become law as early as Tuesday, when it is expected to be debated and passed by the Dewan Negara.

Contacted today, the de facto deputy Law Minister VK Liew said the Bill is expected to be debated on that day after all 27 government ministries finish debating the Supply Bill 2012.

He said that Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 was unlikely to be tabled at the Upper House tomorrow because only 15 out of the 27 ministries have finished their debates on the Supply Bill 2012.

The Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 is expected to be passed in the Dewan Negara without a hitch as BN has an overwhelming majority in the Upper House.

An aide to a senator from DAP told Malaysiakini that the Bill was not listed in the schedule of Bills to be debated, but adds that it was not uncommon for Bills to be tabled in the last minute.

Critics say that the new law, once passed, would further clamp down on freedom of assembly and expression by virtue of the hefty penalties, wider police powers and limitations to assembly areas that will be imposed.

The Bar Council has criticised the "unseemly haste" in the government's attempt to pass the Bill and warned that its content violates the public's right to freedom of assembly.

Although the council was consulted over the Bill, it claims that many issues - such as the barring of street protests - were never raised during the process and thus it has since produced its alternative Bill.


Eventually, the Bill was passed in the Dewan Negara, with only three Pakatan Rakyat figures allowed to debate the matter, which is considered highlyunconventional.

Yesterday, Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah (right) said that the government made a "mistake" in the process of drafting the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion on the amendments to the University and University Colleges Act, Saifuddin said a draft would be made public before it is tabled in Parliament.