DIGP: Kita Lawan rally illegal 'for many reasons' 
MalaysiaKini.com
Mar 5, 2015     
By Zikri Kamarulzaman 

The Kita Lawan rally slated for Saturday in the heart of Kuala Lumpur is against the law for multiple reasons, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim said today.

These include speeches that may be seditious, besides actions that could violate the Penal Code, including intimidating the government.

“If they are gathering to intimidate the government, and others, this is wrong.

“Forcing the government to do something it doesn't want to do, intimidating them, and so on fall under Sections 141, 142 and 143 of the Penal Code,” Noor Rashid (left) said.

The March 7 protest gathering in front of the Sogo shopping mall aims to force Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to resign, for allegedly failing in his duties as the head of government.

It also seeks to secure the freedom of jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Dang Wangi police chief Zainol Samah yesterday declared the rally as against the law, since the organisers had failed to submit a formal notice.

However, lawyers say that police cannot declare an assembly illegal over failure to give notice, following a recent Court of Appeal decision involving PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

'AG must clarify'

In that matter, the Court of Appeal ruled Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act to penalise organisers of peaceful assemblies for failure to give 10 days’ notice as unconstitutional.

Commenting on this, Noor Rashid said the case is being appealed.

“The 10 days’ notice is in the process of appeal, it is being reviewed, so we will wait for the decision of a higher court,” he told reporters at a press conference in Bukit Aman.

Police will monitor Saturday’s rally to ensure the participants follow the law, Noor Rashid added.

Meanwhile, Johor PKR deputy chairperson and Bukit Batu assemblyperson Jimmy Puah (left) said the Attorney-General's (AG) Chambers needs to “clarify the legal validity” of Section 9 in light of the court decision.

”I urge the AG's Chambers to immediately clarify the legal position and validity of Section 9 and whether the police ought to continue open investigation or declare a peaceful assembly illegal just because notification within 10 days was not given.
 
“Silence in not always golden, especially in this matter where the constitutional rights of the people are being trample.
 
“As the government's legal adviser, it is imperative that the AG Chambers should not continue to stay mum on this matter,” Puah said. 

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