Police: Join illegal demos and face the music

Bersih 4.0 rally participants would face legal actions under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA 2012) if they continue to gather despite not receiving permission from owners of the premises they plan to gather at.

City police chief, Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa said however, the public were able to be present around Dataran Merdeka for the purpose of the Merdeka Day parade.

“You can come and watch the Merdeka Day parade. The police will step up security measures,” he said in a short message to Astro AWANI today.

Tajuddin also advised those who intend to join the Bersih 4.0 rally this month-end to not do as the rally had been categorized as illegal.

“There’s no need for you to take part in illegal demonstrations,” he said.

At the same time, he said traders around the city shouldn’t feel worried and could continue their business as usual.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall before this had rejected the application by Bersih 4.0 organisers to hold the rally around Dataran Merdeka and Padang Merbok as the locations have been booked for other events.

On Tuesday, the police received a notice from Bersih 2.0, the rally organisers, but the documents were incomplete as they didn’t include permission from owners of the premises they plan to gather at.

In a Bernama report yesterday, Tajuddin had said the police would only consider the organisers’ application after they get the premises owners’ permissions, which the organisers could submit to them any time before the planned gathering.

The PAA 2012 stipulates that an organiser has to notify the police at the latest 10 days before the event, failing which, a RM10,000 fine would be imposed.

The Act also states that gatherings cannot be held within 50 metres of places of worships, electric power stations, petrol stations, transportation terminals, kindergartens and schools.