Five charged over Blackout505 rallies

Five Pakatan Rakyat leaders were charged under Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) this morning in four separate states over the Blackout505 rallies.

The five, four from PKR and one from DAP, were all charged for failing to submit a 10-day notice to the police prior to organising the rallies, a requirement under Section 9(1) of the PAA.

In Perak, DAP’s Ipoh Timur MP Thomas Su and state PKR secretary Mohammad Anuar Zakaria claimed trial to the charge of contravening the same clause of the PAA on May 9 and May 12 respectively.

Ipoh Sessions Court judge Julie Lack Abdullah set bail at RM4,000 each with one surety for both accused. Their cases is set for mention on July 19.

In Penang, Pakatan executive secretary Ong Eu Leong also faced a similar charge over the Batu Kawan rally on May 11.

Ong pleaded not guilty and was released without bail after his lawyer RSN Rayer submitted to Butterworth Sessions Court judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tamzi that there was no provision under the law to impose bail. Mention date for his case is on June 27.

Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan PKR Youth chief Nazree Yunus claimed trial to a charge of violating the same section over the rally at Oakland, Seremban on May 17.

Nazree’s bail was set at RM5,000 by the Seremban Sessions Court.

In Johor, state PKR executive secretary B Yuvanesh was similarly charged over the rally at an open space near the PKR Puteri Wangsa office. Yuvanesh is currently awaiting the court process to end.

The charges today follows the prosecution of PKR information chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad on May 17 over the Kelana Jaya rally.

Last week, PKR vice president Tian Chua, Anything But Umno (ABU) coordinator Haris Ibrahim and PAS member Tamrin Ghafar were hauled up by the police over their remarks at an anti-electoral fraud forum on May 13. They were investigated under the Sedition Act.

Meanwhile, the Advocates Association of Sarawak has condemned the government’s use of the “archaic” Sedition Act 1948.

“The Association calls upon the Government to engage in real national reconciliation without further delay and promote constructive discourse on our way forward together as a nation that is inclusive of all Malaysians regardless of their political leanings,” its president Khairil Azmi Mohd Hasbie said.

The Association urge the Government to dispel widespread public perception that it was engaging in selective prosecution of both individuals and NGOs who have highlighted shortcomings in the election process and results.

“Malaysians place their hope in the members of the Judiciary; trusting them to adjudicate the disputes before them fairly and independently without fear or favour, guided by their solemn oath as judges to faithfully preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.”