PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan, who welcomed the “liberation of Padang Merbok from the clutches of the metal fence”, cautioned that this should not become an excuse to curb the people’s right to assemble outside the Parliament building.
“This should not be a pretext to further curtail the fundamental right of the people to assemble and voice their concerns directly at the seat of power: the gates of Parliament itself,” he added.
He was responding to Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh, who said the removal of the fence would allow those wishing to assemble and deliver memorandums to MPs to do so safely, rather than at the roadside, which can be dangerous and troublesome for traffic police and Parliament officials on duty.
Arutchelvan noted that historically and politically, the public has often raised grievances outside Parliament.
“This is because it is definitely more visible and impactful when (memorandums are) delivered outside the Parliament gates than Padang Merbok, which is not visible to the eyes of the MPs who go to Parliament,” he explained.
He urged Yeoh to ensure that the right to assemble peacefully at Parliament remains protected, in the spirit of the Federal Constitution and the Peaceful Assembly Act.
Arutchelvan also recalled that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the public’s right to hold peaceful assemblies directly outside Parliament gates, stating that it is a legitimate space for democratic expression.
Anwar had rejected a proposal to move peaceful assemblies from in front of Parliament to Padang Merbok.
The proposal followed a commotion outside Parliament on Aug 13 last year, when police blocked a group of protesters from approaching the main gate. The incident saw a scuffle between protesters and police, resulting in Arutchelvan falling to the ground and a police officer being injured.
Yesterday, Yeoh described the removal of the “anti-climb” metal fence surrounding Padang Merbok as “returning the field to the rakyat”.
The minister said the move demonstrated the Madani government’s commitment to “making things right”, starting with freeing Padang Merbok.
The fence had been installed slightly over three years ago by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) when the federal government was under Perikatan Nasional leadership. - Mkini
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