UMNO SCRAMBLES TO HOLD CLOSED-DOOR BRIEFING – AS ZAHID’S CONTROVERSIAL DISCHARGE THREATENS TO EXPLODE IN ITS FACE – AND TAKE DOWN ‘TIN KOSONG’ ANWAR’S UNITY GOVT WITH IT – ‘ANY MEMBER OF THE MALAYSIAN PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO ATTEND THE RALLY HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO. ANY HARASSMENT OR WARNINGS BY THE POLICE WOULD BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL & ILLEGAL,’ SAYS WATCHDOG GROUP – AS RALLY CALLING FOR ZAHID TO BE CHARGED AGAIN BUILDS UP STEAM
Umno today conducted a closed-door briefing session for its members regarding the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted to party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
According to secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, it is a normal thing for Umno to do whenever the party faces big issues.
“The briefing was needed because a lot of members do not understand the details regarding the case involving the president (Zahid),” Asyraf told reporters after the briefing session at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today.
The programme, which began at 10am and went on for about three hours, was attended by division chiefs and information chiefs from all its 151 branches, nationwide.
According to Asyraf, the briefing was crucial as the party rides into a series of elections.
He said that previously a lot of facts could not be openly explained by Zahid’s lawyer, for fear of it being sub judice.
Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, was granted DNAA in the Yayasan Akalbudi case on Sept 4.
Amid accusations of executive intervention, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stressed that he was not in any way involved in the decision.
Asked whether today’s briefing session was conducted because Umno was worried about the narrative played up by Perikatan Nasional on social media, Asyraf replied in the negative.
He said Umno was not affected at all by the DNAA issue, citing the Harapan-BN coalition’s win in the recently concluded Pulai and Simpang Jeram twin by-elections.
Secular nation
“We (the coalition) won with a bigger majority. Umno has learnt from past mistakes.”
Asyraf also dismissed claims by the opposition that the country is becoming a secular nation, under the coalition government’s rule.
“The unity government comprises 19 political parties, but the opposition makes it sound as if there are only Umno and DAP in it.
“Perception games like these and slandering by the opposition must be countered and replied with facts, without Umno also resorting to cheap tactics like them (PN),” he said, stressing the importance of the briefing session. MKINI
Cops have no power under PAA to stop DNAA rally
We refer to the statement issued by Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Suhaily Zain yesterday where he stated that the “application” submitted for the upcoming rally on Sept 16 was rejected as it failed to meet requirements under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA).
Firstly, the police are either ignorant or misconstruing the law; there is no “application” to be made for an assembly under the PAA. The requirement states that the police must only be notified of the assembly.
Subsequent to the receipt of the notice, the police may then impose restrictions and conditions to the rally but there is no power for them under the act to outright deny anyone the right to assemble.
What can be seen from the CID chief’s response here is that the police were in fact notified of the upcoming assembly, the objections merely being to the particulars contained within the notice.
Reading between the lines, we can infer that the notice was given five days before the upcoming rally, as it was not cited as one of the reasons for the impropriety of the notice alleged by the police.
The CID chief thus would have ample time to clarify with the organisers the details of the assembly should they wish for the specifics to be clarified, as they are empowered to do.
Failure to do so is on them, and the police cannot now turn around and say that the organisers are in breach of the requirements of the PAA and thus the notice is “disallowed” by way of a press conference.
Furthermore, section 14(1) of the PAA requires the Officer in Charge of the Police District (OCPD) to respond to the notification within three days of the receipt of the notification if they intend to impose any restriction and conditions to an assembly, failure of which would mean that the assembly shall be allowed to proceed as per the notice.
In any event, the requirement for notifying the police under the PAA for an assembly is a responsibility imposed on the organisers.
This requirement does not supersede the constitutional right to assemble peacefully under article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution.
Any member of the Malaysian public who wishes to attend the rally has every right to do so irrespective of any alleged procedural impropriety to the requirements of the PAA.
Any harassment or warnings by the police to ordinary participants of the rally would be unconstitutional and illegal.
We again express our utmost disappointment that the Pakatan Harapan-led government has allowed the police to propagate fear and intimidation in order to frustrate the exercise of a constitutionally guaranteed right to peaceful assembly
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Harapan leaders, who carried out countless street rallies themselves, should respect and uphold this constitutional right now that they are in power. To do otherwise would be hypocrisy of the highest order.
Thus, we strongly urge the government to ensure that the upcoming rally on Malaysia Day will be free from police harassment and intervention.
They must respect the constitutional guaranteed right to peaceful assembly, not only because it is incumbent on the government to do so, but it is the moral imperative of a government led by Harapan to ensure that this right is protected. WRITER – ZAID MALEK is the director of Lawyers for Liberty. – MKINI
Sept 16 rally to call for Zahid to be charged again
The main goal of the “Save Malaysia Peaceful Gathering” scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Kuala Lumpur will call for Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to be charged in court again.
This was one of three demands outlined by the organisers, an ad hoc coalition known as the Save Malaysia Movement Secretariat, in a statement today.
The two other demands are for the independence of the attorney-general and MACC from executive interference and the rule of law to be applied to all Malaysians.
“Our joint secretariat urges all Malaysians who value integrity and agree with our three demands to attend our rally tomorrow to show support.
“We give our assurance that the rally will be held peacefully and in the spirit of the Federal Constitution. We will ignore any provocation that might happen.
“We urge all participants to be disciplined during the event,” said the secretariat.
Secretariat members include Gerakan Pembela Ummah, Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa, Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia, Mahasiswa United, Persatuan Progresif Perikemanusiaan Selangor, Gabungan Ayahanda Persilatan, PAS, Bersatu, Gerakan, and Pejuang.
Zahid’s DNAA
On Sept 4, prosecutors sought a discharge not amounting to acquittal against Zahid, arguing that further investigations against him were necessary before continuing with the case.
Zahid was on trial for criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering involving Yayasan Akal Budi, a charity that he started and leads.
Zahid’s lawyers have indicated that he would be filing an appeal for a full acquittal.
Critics have accused Putrajaya of interference with the criminal justice system to free Zahid.
However, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has insisted that the decision was made by former attorney-general Idrus Harun, after studying several representation letters from Zahid. MKINI
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